


CinderIris

by xswestallen



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Royalty, First Meetings, Multi, Romance, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-03-31 14:10:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 43,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13976781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xswestallen/pseuds/xswestallen
Summary: WestAllen Cinderella AUWith his mother's death looming, King Henry holds a ball and invites all the eligible maidens in the kingdom, hoping his son, Prince Barry, will finally find a bride. Iris West is a bar maiden, who would love to attend, but, she is very poor and can't afford a nice dress or a ride to the castle.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In this version of Cinderella, there is no evil stepmom. I just couldn't write a mean Cecile Horton, it felt so wrong! The evil stepsisters in this story are evil neighbors, Lisa Snart and Rosa Dillon. 
> 
> Characters and their Cinderella counterparts:  
> Iris as Cinderella  
> Barry as Price Charming  
> Cisco Ramon and Caitlin Snow as the Fairy Godmother  
> Lisa Snart and Rosa Dillon as the evil stepsisters  
> Henry Allen as the King  
> Earth-2 Harrison Wells as The Grand Duke  
> McSnurtle the turtle as the mice

The 15-foot tall doors to the Palace throne room opened and Prince Barry entered to see his father, the King, sitting on his throne looking contemplative. The sight did not ease the Prince's growing anxiety about the meeting. Barry's presence was only requested in the throne room when his father planned on doing some serious lecturing. 

"You wanted to see me, Dad?" Barry asked.

The King smiled. "Yes, come here."

The throne room was huge, even compared to the size of other rooms in the palace, so Barry had to cross it in order to get close to his father for a conversation to be had. His footsteps echoed throughout the mostly empty room. 

"Is this about mom?" Barry asked, fearing the worst.

"In a way, yes." The King answered. "Don't be alarmed, her condition is no worse than it has been. But alas, there has been no improvement either."

Barry nodded. His mother was very ill. The doctors said she was nearing the end of her long battle with the illness, but not in victory. They gave her two year to live.

"Son, I called you in here to let you know that I will be throwing a ball in your honor." The King informed him.

Barry was confused. "What ever for?"

"So that you may find a bride!" His father answered, as if it were obvious.

Barry rolled his eyes. Since the day he came of age, his parents had been very eager to see him find a wife. Over the years, their eagerness and teasing morphed into pressure and meddling. 

"An invitation will be sent out to every eligible maiden in the kingdom." The King continued. "You will have the chance to meet each one and among them, you will find your future Queen."

"Dad, I really don't-" Barry tried to object to his father's plan, but The King would not listen to it.

"You are 26 six years old, Barry, prime marrying age for a distinguished man. Our kingdom is full of beautiful, intelligent maidens who would be so privileged to marry you. To be frank with you, son, your mother and I are disappointed that you have yet to enter a single courtship. Fine young ladies have been available, why have you never asked?"

"I'm not sure. I just...." Barry tried to think of the proper words to describe his feelings. "I just haven't found the one."

"Well, I say it is high time you start looking!"

"Dad, I don't want to marry the first girl I get along with simply for the sake of having a wife. I want to be madly in love with her, head over heels. I won't settle for anything less than."

"And what kind of girl would elicit you falling head over heels?" The King inquired.

Barry's eyes lit up as he spoke. "A girl who makes me happier than I have ever been in my life, who fills a gap I feel there has been. A girl who............... A girl who is my best friend."

"I admire your romanticism. Who's to say you won't meet this girl at the ball?"

"The idea of having a ball to find a partner is a little....... pathetic, don't you think? All these girls coming from across the kingdom in the hopes of winning the heart of a man they have never met and know nothing about, save for the fact that he is first in line for the throne, it sounds like the perfect opportunity to meet opportunistic and greedy women, not the woman of my dreams."

"You are a very good judge of character. I trust that you'll quickly weed out any girl who's intentions with you are not pure. Do not discredit all the women in the kingdom by assuming all will be after wealth and a title."

Barry realized another flaw in his father's plan. "There are thousands of eligible maidens in the kingdom. How am I supposed to make the acquaintance of all of them in one night?"

"There are only a few hundred maidens between the ages of 18 and 30." The King corrected.

"Still!"

"Well, son, if you fell that one ball is not enough time to adequately get to know these ladies, I will happily hold another." The King laughed.

Barry sighed. "I still have my doubts."

The King lowered his head, suddenly somber. "Your mother doesn't have much time left, Barry. It is her greatest hope that before her passing, she is able to meet her grandchild. Or, at the very least, see you marry a wonderful woman. She wants to make sure you will be taken care of."

Barry knew this was true. The thought of denying his mother hope as she lay on her deathbed was unconscionable to him.

"Alright." Barry swallowed. "I will attend the ball and do my best to find a bride."

The King clapped his hands together. "Thank you, son! I know there is a girl out there for you who is kind, humble, selfless, intelligent, talented, and beautiful. The moment you meet her, you will realize that she is everything you desire. You just need the chance to meet her!"

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Drunkards tavern was busy that night. Iris West, the tavern's most popular bar maiden, was running from table to table serving customers. She didn't let the full house faze her, Iris was still able to charm every customer and perfect every order.

"Thank you again, Miss Iris." Billy, a long time customer said on his way out. "You are the best!"

Iris waved goodbye to him. "You're always so sweet, Billy. See you around!"

When Billy opened the door to exit, an excited man pushed passed Billy and ran into the center of the room.

"Ladies and gentleman of the South side of Central Kingdom," The man's voice bellowed through the building, getting everyone's attention. "I come bearing good news. His Majesty, King Henry, has declared that the royal Palace will host a ball at the Palace at the end of this month! It is His Majesty's wish that every eligible maiden in Central Kingdom attend, as the purpose of the festivity is to find a suitable wife for his royal highness, Price Bartholomew."

Gasps and little shrieks of excitement came from several of the women. People began murmuring to each other. Iris looked at several of her coworkers, who were giddy as they whispered about ideas for dresses and speculated what the Prince would be like.

Iris folded her arms, feeling dejected. Attending a Palace ball, getting to meet the Prince, and a fun night spent twirling around the dance floor sounded like a dream come true. And it would be, for everyone but Iris.

The West family were the poorest people in the kingdom. Her father nobly dedicated most of his time to catching criminals in the neighborhood, a volunteer job that made him well respected by impoverished. Her brother, Wally, was an aspiring inventor. But, so far none of his inventions, though brilliant in Iris' opinion, had garnered the attention of the townsfolk. He worked on carriages to make money. Iris was a bar maid and a writing tutor. All of them were almost always working, but they still struggled to make enough money to live on. 

Iris cleaned off the bar, trying to ignore the ache in her heart. Everyone else was so jubilant, Iris wanted to be happy for them, but she couldn't, at least not right now. 

When her shift was finally over, Iris walked home alone, allowing herself to cry the tears she held back while in public. She didn't want anyone feeling sorry for her. All the other bar maidens would have tried to comfort her, and she would have to pretend that they succeeded to make them feel good.

"Welcome home, sweetheart." Her father, Joe, greeted Iris when she got home.

"Hi, dad." She gave him a hug.

"Is everything alright, Iris? You seem blue tonight?"

Iris shook her head. She'd already decided not to tell her father and Wally about the ball. It would only cause them to feel ashamed that they could not afford to send her.

"I'm just tired." Iris said. It wasn't a lie.

Joe put his arm around Iris and walked her to the couch. "Then why don't you sit down and relax? You work too hard."

"An attribute I inherited from you, surely."

Joe laughed. "If your mother were alive, she would take offense to that."

Iris smiled feebly. She was grateful for her family, even if they didn't have much. Her envy of those who would be attending the ball made Iris feel guilty.

"Are you sure you're alright, Iris?" Joe asked again.

Iris leaned on his shoulder. She gave him the best puppy dog eyes she could and said, "I would feel better if you sing to me."

Joe patted her head. "What would you like to hear?"

Iris shrugged. "You pick."

"A favorite of your mother's than, A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes." Joe decided aloud.

Iris closed her eyes and fell asleep to her father's smoothing song.

 _"A dream is a wish your heart makes_  
_When you're fast asleep_

 _In dreams you will loose your heartache_  
_Whatever you wish for, you keep_

 _Have faith in your dreams and someday_  
_Your rainbow will come smiling through_

_No matter how your heart is grieving_  
_If you keep on believing_  
_The dream that you wish will come true"_

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Unfortunately, word of the ball traveled through the kingdom like wildfire. It was not long before Joe and Wally heard about it.

"Do you wish to go to the ball?" Joe asked Iris at dinner one night.

"No." Iris lied.

Her dad titled his head, giving her a knowing look. Iris was a terrible liar.

"It sounds lovely." She admitted under the intensity of his gaze. "But, the coast of a dress and the travel expenses are just too much."

"What if you made your own dress?" Wally suggested.

Iris laughed. "You know I am an abysmal excuse for a seamstress, Wally. Besides, the coast of the fabric alone would a month's meals for all of us."

It pained Iris to see her brother and father look so sad, both hanging their heads in defeat.

"I really don't have to go. I will be fine staying home." Iris assured them. "With so many people gone to Palace, there will be plenty of things for me to do here that would usually be too crowded and troublesome. It's a great opportunity, really."

"You were blessed with the gift of positivity." Her father said. "Truly, Iris, you are a light in the dark."

Wally banged his hand on the table. "It's unfair that you cannot go. Iris, you are the kindest, smartest girl south of Infantino Street. You should be the one meeting and marrying the Prince! You'd be the best Queen this kingdom has ever seen."

Iris smiled. "Thank you, Wally. But, I highly doubt that even if I was to attend the Prince would have any interest in me. All eligible maidens will be there, maidens of higher status with wealth of their own. That's what royalty usually care about anyway, right? The Prince would not look twice at a poor commoner like me. I'm sure the invitation was only extended to maidens of all classes in attempt to stir up good press for the royal family. Anyone outside of the Gentry will probably be lucky to catch a glimpse of the Prince."

"That is likely true." Wally admitted.

"Nevertheless," Their father said, "It is the Prince's loss."

"Thanks dad." Iris rolled her eyes, embarrassed.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Prince Barry wiped the sweat off his face with a towel. "I must say, Jesse, you are a talented fencer!"

"Thank you." Jesse said. "You are a great challenge to practice with, Your Highness."

"I would like to brag that I taught her everything she knows, but I am an honest man." Grand Duke Harrison Wells, and Jesse's father, said as he entered.

"Hey, dad." Jesse gave him a one armed hug.

"Perfecting your fencing skills to impress the you maidens at the ball?" Wells asked. 

"Aptitude with the traditional skills of swordsmanship is useful for more than just attracting a girl." Barry pointed out.

"But," Jesse giggled, waving her foil. "It certainly helps with the ladies."

Wells playfully pushed his daughter. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Bye, Your Highness." Jesse said before departing.

Now alone with the Prince, Wells' demeanor became more serious. Barry immediately took notice.

"You have that look on your, the one that makes me anxious."

"I just want to be sure you are aware of how important the ball is."

Barry sighed. "I am. Believe me, I would love nothing more than to meet the perfect girl and fall in love in an instant at the ball. However, I think everyone is being too optimistic about the odds of that happening. Surely you, Dr. Wells, a man of science, understand my skepticism."

Wells rubbed his head. "Can I be open with you, Barry?"

The Grand Duke was a surly man, who took titles when addressing members of the court and the royal family more seriously than the King himself. For Wells to refer to the Prince by his first name, shook Barry.

"I always prefer when people are." Barry said honestly, bracing himself for what Wells wanted to say.

"Love is a many splendored thing. But, perhaps, for you, love should not be the compelling factor in choosing a bride."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because, feelings are arbitrary. They are unpredictable, finicky, and so often they interfere with a person's logic, rational, and good judgement. I don't suppose anyone in the kingdom would like to see their future ruler with his head in the clouds over a girl. Rather, we would all prefer you to meet a young lady equally intelligent, reasonable, and as diplomatically inclined as you. A good fit for the crown. Feelings, the butterflies in your stomach and childlike wonder, would be best to come later, after growing with one another, learning to love each other."

Barry looked at his feet. "You're saying I shouldn't be after love, but the ideal Queen?

"Precisely."

"I should think of what the kingdom needs from my wife, not what I need?"

"It is what any selfless King would do."

Barry hated to admit it, but he knew that Wells was right. It was his moral obligation from birth to put his people before himself and do best by them.

"I would also like to encourage you to make a choice after the ball." Wells continued. "Her Majesty the Queen is ill, and we have all heard your father express his grief by saying he will not be able to stand life without her."

Barry nodded in melancholy as he listened to Wells.

"Within a few short years, you will be King. It would be best to find a partner now, so that when the time comes for you to rule, you are confident in her consort. If you were to remain single, the burdens of the kingdom will fall solely on your shoulders. Many a great Kings have been driven to nervous breakdowns without a Queen to share the crown with." Wells reminded Barry.

"You're right." The Prince acknowledged. "I must sacrifice my dreams of romance in favor of finding a woman in the kingdom's best interest."

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

The night before the ball, people spoke of nothing else. Iris suffered through her shift at Drunkards, faking the best smiles she could. Most of the tavern was convinced, but not Cecile Horton.

"Iris, dear girl, what is troubling you tonight?"

"Huh?" Iris was taken aback. "Nothing. I'm fine."

Cecile raised her eyebrows. "You're father is right, you are a terrible liar. Good thing your aspiration is to be a writer, not an actress."

"Hey!" Iris said, slightly offended, even though Cecile was right.

"Please, tell me what's wrong. It's not good to keep your feelings all bottled up."

Iris internally debated wether or not to tell Cecile her sob story. Cecile was a good friend of her father's, who assisted him in apprehending criminals and bringing them to the royal guards. Cecile was also a comforting role model for Iris, a sort of mother figure. If there was anyone Iris could talk to about this, it would be Cecile.

But, Iris knew Cecile would likely tell her father about her pain. That would only cause more sadness for him and Iris. She was determined to have him believe she was ambivalent about the ball. 

As if Cecile could read minds, she said, "Iris, whatever we talk about is between you and me. I will not tell your father anything you wish for him not to know."

Iris sighed. "It's the ball."

"What about it? Aren't you excited?"

"No. I'm not able to attend." Iris finally confessed. "I cannot afford a dress and I have no way of getting there."

Cecile scoffed. "That's is?"

Iris felt Cecile's words like a stab through the heart. She knew it was silly of her to dream of going to the ball like all the other girls, but she hadn't expected Cecile to be so harsh. Weeks worth of tears came spilling out.

"Oh Iris!" Cecile hugged her. "I didn't mean it like that. Of course, you want to go to the ball. I'm merely surprised that a dress and transportation are preventing you from attending. That can all be worked out. There is no reason why you should not be able to go."

Iris wiped her eyes. "Really?"

"Of course! Honey, you are one of the finest girls in the kingdom. It would be no less than treason if we were to deny the Prince the chance to meet Iris West."

Iris laughed. She hugged Cecile back tightly.

"I will loan you my carriage. It's the least I can do after all the work your brother has done on it for me. And, my daughter left behind a few dresses when she moved to Coast Kingdom. You could borrow one of them for the ball!" Cecile offered.

Iris couldn't believe this was really happening. Cecile's generosity was too much. "I could never ask you-"

"You are not asking." Cecile corrected. "I am telling you that you will borrow my carriage and my daughter's dress. It's an order."

Iris was now crying tears of joy. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I don't know how I will ever repay you." She sobbed.

Cecile patted Iris on the back. "You already have by being my friend, Iris. Your whole family is a treasure in my life that I am so grateful for. This is my way of saying thank you. Now, you go to the ball and make that Prince swoon."

Iris giggled. "I will just be glad to see the Palace in person and dance with my friends."

"You don't want to try and win over the Prince?"

Iris shook her head. "I'm sure he is charming, handsome, and everything a Prince should be. But, I don't want to waste my time competing for his attention. When I meet the boy who's the one for me, he won't see any girl but me."

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

"Wow!" Iris gasped at her own reflection. She was wearing a ruby red ballgown that belongs to Cecile's daughter. It was the day of the ball and she was couldn't believe her luck. 

"You look beautiful." Cecile complimented.

Iris turned to Cecile, overwhelmed with gratitude. "Thank you! I can never thank you enough."

"Stop, we've been over this. You don't need to thank me."

"I feel more beautiful than I ever have in my life." 

"You look like a Princess!"

Iris covered her mouth as she giggled like a little girl. She couldn't remember being this happy since she was a carefree child.

"Now," Cecile gave Iris a hug. "Go to the ball and have a wonderful time!"

"I will!" Iris promised. "I know you are tired of hearing it, but I must say thank you again!"

Outside the cottage, Wally waited next to Cecile's horses and carriage. He was going to be steering the carriage (and of course, at their father's insistence, looking out for Iris). "Ready to go?" He asked.

Iris nodded excitedly. "Have the horses been fed?"

"Yes." Cecile answered. "I fed them just before you arrived."

Iris climbed into the carriage.

Cecile shrieked when McSnurtle, Iris' pet turtle, walked out of the her gown's pocket.

"Sorry! He's adventurous." Iris giggled.

"You're bringing McSnurtle?" Wally asked.

"Of course! I wouldn't want him to be lonely tonight while I'm gone."

Cecile cringed. "Always so thoughtful, Iris."

"Anyway," Wally said, climbing into the front of the carriage to steer the horses. "The journey to the Palace will take about 2 hours, 3 if there is rain."

Iris looked up at the sky, filled with stars but clear of clouds. "I don't think we'll have to worry about rain tonight."

"Have fun!" Cecile waved goodbye.

"Thank you!" Iris called from the carriage as she and Wally rode away.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥ 

 

Wally was a fast driver, encouraging the horses to run near their full speed. He always loved going fast. His dream is to one day inventing a device that could pull carriages even faster than horses. He was telling Iris about it on the ride to the Palace.

"What would you call such an invention?" She asked.

"Not sure yet. I'm not too good with naming things."

"I could help."

Wally shook his head. "Thanks but no thanks, Iris. I'll remind you you're holding a turtle named McSnurtle."

"Touche." Iris said. "I'm telling you, Wally, you're big break is just around the corner. You are so smart, one day you will revolutionize the kingdom."

Wally blushed. He suddenly looked a pained.

"What's wrong?" Iris asked.

"Nothing." Wally brushed her off.

"Wally, over the past few weeks I tried to lie, telling people nothing was upsetting me. When I finally told the truth, that I was heartbroken not being able to attend the ball, Cecile made sure that I would be able to attend! People can help you if you give them the chance, Wally."

Wally sighed. "Lady Tina McGee read the article in the paper you wrote about my idea for this invention. She liked it, a lot!"

Iris covered her mouth to stop herself from shouting out in glee. "That's fantastic! Lady McGee is an esteemed engineer!"

"She sent me a letter asking if I could visit her laboratory."

"When?" Iris asked excitedly.

Wally looked down at his feet. "Tonight." He whispered, almost too low for Iris to hear.

"Oh." Iris sighed, taken aback. She felt sick to her stomach. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for her brother to meet with Lady McGee. A great mind like hers would recognize Wally's talent. She could help make his dreams a reality by hiring him to work as one of her engineers in her laboratory.

"It's nothing to fuss about, Iris." Wally insisted.

"It's an incredible opportunity to present your ideas to one of the most respected people in the field." 

 "But if it means I can't help you tonight, I don't want to do it. Family is the most important thing."

"And what kind of sister would I be if I let you sacrifice your chance at success so that I can frivolously dance my night away? Wally, you have to go. I will never forgive myself if you don't."

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you." Wally sighed.

"Please, Wally. I won't have any fun at the ball knowing it's at the expense of your happiness"

"I will not have any fun presenting my idea knowing it's at the expense of your happiness." Wally countered.

Iris looked out the carriage window and saw the Palace off in the distance. It's marble gave it the appearance that a shimmering star had landed on Earth. So close, but yet so far.

Then, it occurred to her that they could both be happy. "You have taken me far enough." She said. "I can walk the rest of the way to The Palace. You can take the carriage to the laboratory and meet me back here when the ball is over."

"Are you sure?" Wally asked.

"Absolutely. It won't be a long walk."

"It's about 5 kilometers." Wally informed her.

"Which isn't far." Iris insisted.

"Do you know where you're going?"

"Of course." Iris snickered, pointing out the window. "The Palace is kind of hard to miss."

"You are certain you want to do this?"

"Yes!" Iris told him.

"Ok then." Wally stopped the carriage and Iris got out.

"We will meet back here at midnight. If you need a maker to remember the spot, look at that odd shaped tree trunk over there."

Iris saw the curvy tree trunk and made a mental note of it. "Good luck, though I doubt you'll need it. Lady McGee will see your brilliance if she is half as smart as everyone says."

Wally leaned down to hug Iris goodbye. "Enjoy the ball."

"Oh, I will."

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥ 

 

The Palace was bustling as all of it's employees hurried to prepare for the ball. Prince Barry was in the fitting room having the final alterations made to his attire. He was wearing his red military uniform with golden epaulettes, as he always did for formal events. No amount of hair gel succeeded in slicking back the ever present wave in Barry's hair. And despite them being specifically crafted for him, Barry felt too small in his boots. (Though perhaps, that was an emotional issue instead of a fashion one.)

"That's fine. Thank you." The Prince dismissed the tailor. 

He bowed and exited, leaving Barry alone with his nerves. 

Barry stood up straight, puffed up his chest, and plastered on his most princely smile. He held out his arm and rehearsed, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady."

_I look ridiculous_  Barry thought. He let out a sigh, laughing at himself in embarrassment. Good thing he was the Price, otherwise he feared no girl in the Kingdom would look twice at him. He wasn't as muscular as other men, his hair was always a tussled mess, and he often struggled socializing with peers. His interests in scientific subjects did not make for good small talk.  

In fact, Barry dreaded small talk. Feigning interest in the weather, sports, or the personal lives of people he barely knew was his least favorite part of diplomatic relations. To think he might have a relationship like that with his wife, shallow chatter doing a poor job of masking indifference, made him miserable. 

"For the good of the Kingdom." Barry reminded himself aloud. He was determined to find a future Queen tonight. It took great strength to set aside his dreams of true love in favor of finding the ideal consort. But, he knew it was what he must do. 

Barry check his pocket watch. In one hour he would have to make his entrance at the ball. He wasn't sure if he wanted the time to hurry up and come so he could get this over with or if he wanted the hour to last forever as it may be his last moments before starting a life that would be satisfying at best. 

Barry left the fitting room and made his way through the maze of baroque halls to his parents bedchamber. He knocked before entering.

"Mom, may I come in?"

"Yes, dear." A faint but happy voice answered.

Barry enter and smiled upon seeing his mom.

The Queen was resting in bed, pale and fragile looking. But, her face was alight with happiness. She held her hand over her heart.

"Oh, my beautiful boy, you've grown into such a handsome man."

Barry knelt at her bedside. "Thanks, mom."

"Your father told me how beautiful the Palace looks tonight in preparation for the ball. It sounds like it will be the most wonderful evening." The Queen mused. "It's been so long since we've made use of the ballroom."

"I'm sure it will be lovely." Barry lied.

The Queen pursed her lips. "Don't lie to your mother."

"I-I'm not lying."

"Honey, I know you have been dreading the ball from the moment your father informed you of it."

Barry conceded. "I just want true love."

"Who's to say you won't have it?"

"I have a responsibility to this Kingdom, a responsibility far more important than my own happiness. So, I must find a wife who is best suited for the duty of entering our family."

His mother held his face in her hands. "You have such a good heart, Barry."

"You've been telling me that for as long as I can remember."

"Because it's true." The Queen said. "I am immensely proud of who you are. Selfless in your every action, caring for all. You are a good man, and there is no doubt in my mind you'll be great King." She caressed her son's cheek. "But, because of your selflessness and caring, I need to be certain you have someone by your side who will ensure you do not neglect yourself."

Barry chuckled. "Is that why you've been so eager for me to meet a girl?"

"Yes. I would love nothing more than for you to fall in love. You just haven't met the right the girl yet?"

"Thats the thing about the right girl." Barry sighed. "She's out there, waiting. I just have to be lucky enough to find her."

"I've never believed in luck. However, I have a good feelings about tonight."

Barry looked at his mother, laying in bed, wasting away, not much time left. It fueled his decision. "I will find the right girl tonight. I promise."

The Queen looked crestfallen. "Barry, do not feel pressured to make a commitment to a woman because of my deteriorating health."

"Why not? You will be gone someday. Unfortunately, someday soon. Dad won't last long without you. The Kingdom will fall into my hands and I must be steady enough to support them. Having a wife to hold my hand and share the burdens would be what's best for the Kingdom."

"Barry," his mother said in a tone one would use when scolding a child. "To be a good ruler you need to happy! You could not count the number of kingdoms ruined by monarchs who were too miserable with the mess of their personal life to do their job. Any wife of yours needs be a woman you love. I know you, sweetheart. I know the things you value in a partner, the things that would make you fall for someone, they are all the same qualities needed in a Queen."

Barry swallowed. "What are you saying, mom?"

"I'm saying, marry for love. You loving her, more than anything, is more important than her being skilled diplomat or cultured heiress. You will need someone who is everything to you, who is always there for you, and who is your best friend."

"That's what I've always wanted in a wife."

The Queen smiled. "Then, go meet her."

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥ 

 

Iris started down the path Wally had left her on, walking in the direction of the beautiful Palace in the distance. She carried the hem of her dress, so it wouldn't get dirty. At times her excitement would get the best of her, and Iris would break into a skip. With each step, she was closer to the Palace. 

Having never seen the inside of the Palace in person, Iris could only dream of it's elegance. Her friend, Linda Park, who ran the town's paper and helped Iris find students to tutor, had been invited to the Palace once for a banquet held in celebration of the press. Linda said it was the most beautiful place she had ever seen. There was gold on the doors, artwork all the way up the walls and even on the ceiling, marble floors so spotless it was as if she were looking at still water. And the best part, an endless supply of the most delicious foods.

"What are you so happy about, West?" A shrill voice called from behind Iris, stopping her in her tracks. 

"If she's delusional enough to think that dress looks good, maybe she's delusional enough to think she has a shot with the Prince." Another voice said.

Iris turned around to see Lisa Snart and Rosa Dillon. 

"What's a girl from the south side doing on her way to the Palace?" Rosa asked in disgust.

"That's funny coming from somewhere who lives three doors down from me." Iris retorted.

"What's the matter, West? Not happy to see us?" Lisa teased in a baby voice. The girls took a few steps closer to Iris.

"Stay away from me." Iris commanded, inching back.

Lisa threw her head back and laughed. "Oh no, Rosa, we better do what she says or the 100 pound girl all by herself on a deserted path is going to get us!"

Rosa laughed too. "What are you gonna do, West? Besides trying to make eyes bleed with that outfit."

"Why do you keep backing away?" Lisa asked. "Scared because your self-righteous daddy isn't here to protect you?"

 Admittedly, Iris was scared. Her heart was pounding and her mind was focused on possible escape plans. She didn't want to show weakness, so she forced herself to stand up straight and look them in the eyes. "If you hurt me, you will deeply regret it."

Lisa smirked. "I don't regret anything."

"My father will-" began Iris, but she was interrupted by Rosa.

"Time to be a big girl and fight your own battle for once. Your daddy's not here." 

"My father isn't here either." Lisa pouted. "Why is that? Oh yeah, because your father turned him over to the guards!!" She spat.

Iris didn't waver. "Your father was stealing from merchants and slaughtering anyone who got in his way. He was terrorizing our town!"

"Your father is terrorizing our town!" Rosa spat. "Dragging people to the guards when they didn't even do anything to him. He should've been minding his own business."

Lisa smirked. "Maybe my father should have been doing something to yours, West. Too bad dad underestimated the self-righteous wannabe nobleman with a vendetta against our family."

"It's not a vendetta if it's true that entire family is full of criminals." Iris corrected. 

"At least it's not full of laboring peasants." 

Rosa apparently though Lisa's insult was very funny as she clutched her side from laughing so hard.

Iris wasn't bothered in the slightest. "My family may not have money, but we something that matter more."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Oh god, please don't say love."

"Love." Iris said.

"You wanna talk abut love?" Rosa scoffed. "Your father locked up my Sam. I haven't been able to see him in three years! I miss him more than anything. Tonight I have to go to the ball alone, and not even the Prince could possibly mend my broken heart."

"Who's going to mend the broken hearts of all the people Sam Sccuder murdered?"

The words escaped Iris' mouth. Hearing such slander of her father's moral commitment to make their town a better place infuriated Iris so much so that she forgot her vulnerable situation. One look at Rosa's face and Iris instantly knew she was going to pay for that line. Lisa and Rosa were closing in on her. Their rage was only amplified by the conversation.

Iris felt helpless. She knew Lisa and Rosa were dangerous criminal more than willing to kill a person who'd done nothing to them. Being the daughter of the man who brought their loved ones to justice made Iris sure Rosa and Lisa would not be fighting to wound.

Rosa attacked first, grabbing Iris by her shoulders and spinning her around till she felt nauseous. Iris retaliated by kicking Rosa in the shin with such force that the pointed toe of her shoe broke. Lisa tried to put Iris in choke hold, but Iris elbowed her in the face. Iris fought with all her might. All three women were grunting, punching, and breathing heavily. Lisa and Rosa had underestimated Iris' ability to handle herself when her father wasn't around.

Iris ended things once and for all when she decked Rosa right on the nose, making a loud crack. Rosa howled in pain and retreated.

Lisa went to comfort her friend. They whispered to each other something Iris couldn't hear, but she was pretty sure they were deciding that Rosa's nose was broken. Iris was sure of it too, she'd never punched so hard before. Worn out from defending herself, Iris collapsed on the ground and massaged her aching hand. 

Thankfully, Lisa and Rosa didn't have any fight left in them either.

"This isn't over, West!" Lisa called as she and Rosa sprinted away from the scene. 

Iris was on the ground, reeling from the attack. She felt completely numb. Her heartbeat was pounding in her eats. Iris knew she needed to calm down, but her entire body was shaking in anticipation of another attack. Her head ached from hyperventilating. 

"They're gone. Your safe now." She whispered to herself.

Iris took some deep breaths. As her fight or flight instinct faded, so did the numbness of her body. Suddenly, Iris felt the sensation of the cold, muddy ground beneath her. She looked down and saw that her hands, legs, and feet, were covered in mud. Her shoes, also covered in mud, both had broken toes and heels. They weren't designed to function as weapons of self defense. 

Her dress was torn in more places than she could count. It's hoop skirt was bent. Beading that once embellished the dress was now on the ground around Iris. The once gorgeous ballgown was now littered with mud, gravel, and a little bit of blood.

Iris cried. She felt like a fool for believing she could have this one magical night at the Palace, dancing and laughing without a care in the word. That wasn't her life. Her whole life was filled with hardship and pain, why had she thought tonight might be any different? 

Defeated, Iris laid her head down on the ground, prepared to cry herself to sleep right there, hoping she'd have enough energy in the morning to walk back home. She closed her eyes. Her thoughts continued to berate her for even dreaming she could go to the ball. Iris promised herself that she would never step out of line again. She was a poor bar maiden on the south side and that was all she'd ever be. 

Iris took McSnurtle out of her pocket, in need of his comfort.

"Hi, buddy." She cried. 

At least he wasn't harmed during the fight. Iris clutched him and forgot her surroundings. She didn't know how long she'd been laying on the ground in tears. Her sobs were too loud for her to hear the footsteps of the two people approaching her from behind. 

"You know your supposed to stumble home on broken heels and end up blackout drunk on the ground  _after_  going to the ball, right?" A man's voice laughed.

Iris jumped out of her sick. A man and a woman were standing over her. They looked at Iris like a partner would a child who fell.

"Who are you?" Iris asked in a meek voice.

Neither one of them answered. The woman pulled a strange device out of her pocket and shown a bright light in Iris' eyes.

"Ah!" Iris flinched. "What is that?"

The woman ignored Iris and spoke to the man. "Her pupils are equal, round, reactive to light, and accommodating."

"Are her legs broken?" The man inquired.

The woman raised her eyebrows. "No...."

"Then why doesn't she stand up?!"

Iris staggered to her feet.

"There we go!" The man shouted in victory. He high-fived the reluctant woman.

"Who are you?" Iris demanded.

"I'm Cisco and this is Caitlin." The man introduced himself and the woman. She gave him a harsh look. "Dr. Snow." He corrected. "And we're here to get you to the ball!"

Iris rubbed her head, expecting to find a bump. A head injury would explain why she was hallucinating. "I don't understand."

Cisco spoke slowly. "We" He pointed at himself and Caitlin, "are here" he gestured to their surroundings, "to help you" he pointed at Iris, "go to" he imitated walking with his fingers, "the ball." he held out his arms and danced with an imaginary partner.

Iris blinked. "I can't go to the ball. Look at me! I don't want to give the King a heart attack by showing up to a royal ball held in honor of the Prince with mud all over me."

"That's why we're here to help." Caitlin said.

"I still don't understand."

Cisco face palmed. "Ok, from the top. We-"

"I understand that!" Iris cut Cisco off before he did another round of charades. "I don't understand why."

Cisco and Caitlin exchanged glances. They gave Iris the impression they were hoping she wouldn't have asked why.

"Let's just say, hypothetically, if there were a parallel universe in which an alternate version of you exists, that you would really want this you to go to the ball." Cisco said.

Iris was more confused than ever. She stared blankly at the mad man rambling in front of her.

"There might also be a scientist in said parallel universe who claims that any version of you needs to be with any version of this friend we have because it's like one of the constants of the multiverse and an anomaly could potentially rip a hole in the space time continuum. And Caitlin and I came here to prevent that happening and killing everyone. Also, said scientist might be really annoying if you don't listen to him and breach into other dimension to play Cupid."

Iris didn't comprehend a single word. "Huh?" She squeaked.

"Would you like to attend the ball?" Caitlin asked, gently pushing Cisco aside.

"Yes." Iris answered tentatively.

"Then trust us." Caitlin said.

Cisco took a ring out of his pocket and slipped it onto Iris' finger. "Here you go."

Iris admired the ring. It was a golden band with a lightning bolt shape in it's center.

"It's beautiful. But, I'm afraid it's not enough to distract from the rest of my appearance." Iris sighed.

Cisco smirked. "Oh, you haven't seen anything yet." He touched his finger to the lightning bolt. 

All of a sudden, glitter swirled through the air, encircling Iris. As if by magic, her dress began to transform. From the hem to the neckline, the tattered, muddied rug of a what once was a dress became a dazzling blue ballgown.

It was the most beautiful dress Iris had ever seen. She held up the skirt and twirled. "I don't believe this."

The sound of the clock tower chiming resounded through the area. It was 8:00. 

"The ball is beginning. She's going to be late." fret Caitlin.

"I have a way to get her there." Cisco said, holding up a pumpkin in delight.

"Perfect!"

"A pumpkin?" Iris questioned.

"A carriage." Cisco insisted. He pulled a wand out of his pants and pointed it at the pumpkin. "Bibbidi bobbidi boo!"

Iris gasped. The pumpkin grew 100 times it's size. The orange changed to ivory. It's leaves curved themselves into wheels. 

"Now, with an elegant coach like that, of course we simply have to have..... a turtle." Caitlin said.

McSnurtle tucked his head into his shell.

"May I see him?" Caitlin held out her hand, but Iris wouldn't give McSnurtle over.

"What are you going to do to him?"

"Make him a little speedier." Caitlin giggled. "Don't worry, I'm a bio engineer."

"Promise me you won't hurt him."

"Promise."

Iris handed Caitlin McSnurtle.

Caitlin pulled out her own magic wand. She waved it over the turtle and said, "Bibbidi bobbidi boo!"

The small turtle shape shifted into a white stallion. 

Iris was awestruck. "How???? What???"

"Just think of us as your fairy godparents." Cisco said.

"I- Umm- Uh- Thank you!" Iris stuttered. She went to climb into the carrige, but Cisco held her arm and stopped her.

"Wait, you don't have any shoes!"

"Oh, no." Iris laughed. "My shoes couldn't hold up in a battle."

"She can't go to a fancy ball without shoes! You can only go to Wal-Mart without shoes." Cisco said.

Before Iris could ask what a Wal-Mart is, Cisco was bending down to her feet. He used his magic wand and Iris saw crystal like slippers appear on her feet.

"Wow!" She breathed.

"Glass slippers, they match your dress."

"Why, this is like a dream. A wonderful dream come true!" Iris sang.

Caitlin hugged her. "Yes, but like all dreams, well, I'm afraid this can't last forever. You'll have only till midnight."

"Midnight? Oh, that's plenty of time." Iris said casually.

"You must understand the importance of getting home before midnight. At the stroke of midnight, the spell will be broken and everything will be as it was before." Caitlin warned.

"I understand." Iris said. "But, it's more than I ever hoped for!"

"It's getting late, the ball can't wait." Cisco ushered Iris into the carriage.

"Have a good time!" Caitlin called.

Iris waved to Cisco and Caitlin out the carriage window. She wasn't sure if their image faded as the carriage sped away or if they disappeared before her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed. Chapter 3 will be up this weekend, Barry and Iris will finally meet!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains two version of the scene where Barry and Iris meet for the first time. One from Iris' perspective, and one from Barry's.

Barry rubbed his neck to ease his tension as he tried to reconcile the conflicting advice he'd received. He stood waiting behind the doors to the ballroom. On the other side, he heard the muffled voice of his father introducing him.

“Little known fact about His Royal Highness, Prince Barry, he is a skilled fencer. He’s able to hit the heart of his opponent just as he’s able to capture the heart of everyone he meets. Oh, and what a strong connection the Prince has to his own heart, one filled with generosity and thoughtfulness.”

Barry facepalmed, mortified. Being the King did not exclude Henry Allen from inflicting the usual amount of paternal embarrassment on Barry. Hearing his father attempt to be his wingman gave Barry the urge to hide in the Palace’s tallest tower and never make eye contact with a woman again.

To think, his future wife was out there, hearing this! What Barry wouldn’t give to meet an eligible maiden in the Kingdom who hadn’t.

The doors flew open. Trumpets played the Kingdom’s Anthem. Barry descended the marble steps, hoping nobody could tell how nervous he was.

The men bowed and the women curtseyed to their Prince. Many, sneaking glances up at him, as this was the first time they were seeing him in person.

The Anthem concluded before Barry made it down the stairs, causing his last few steps to echo throughout the ballroom. Waiting at the bottom of the stairs was an announcer with a feathered hat and a smiling young lady in a purple gown. The Prince would be formally introduced to nobles and the gentry, to ensure he meet all of those ladies tonight.

“His Royal Highness, Prince Barry is introduced to Lady Lucinda of Starling Kingdom.” The announcer’s voice boomed.

Barry was still getting a hold of himself, and awkwardly stood there, looking at the crowd of guests rather than at Lady Lucinda.

She cleared her throat to get his attention.

“Right, my apologies.” He said quickly, turning to her and racking his brain for a coherent sentence. Barry had never been more nervous.

Thankfully, Lady Lucinda made it easy for him when she held out her hand expectantly. Barry bent down to kiss it. He was well aware that every eye in the ballroom was focused on him. That was not helping the bubbling of stomach to settle.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Said Barry.

“Please, your grace,” Lady Lucinda said coyly. “The pleasure is all mine.”

The orchestra broke the intimidating silence of the couple’s introduction with a song. Guests’ interest in staring at the Prince wavered in favor of dancing.

Barry felt more comfortable now. He looked at the woman standing before him. She was very beautiful, with dark hair and delicate features.

“Tell me, Your Highness, are a man of action rather than words?” Lady Lucinda asked.

“Huh? Pardon me?” Barry asked.

“You don’t have much to say.” Lady Lucinda clarified.

“Oh,” Barry laughed nervously. He decided honesty was best. “I’m afraid my family and friends know me to be a man of far too many words at times. Tonight, I am, admittedly, anxious.”

“Anxious to find yourself a bride?”

Barry ducked his head. “Yes, that would be ideal.”

“Well, you don’t have to be nervous with me.” Lady Lucinda said. Her voice was soft, like Summer rain. “As of right now we are just two people who want to get to know each other, befriend one another. Whatever may happen in the future is irrelevant at the present time.”

Barry took a deep breath. Lady Lucinda had said exactly what Barry didn’t know needed to hear to calm his nerves.

“Are you comfortable proceeding like that?” Lady Lucinda asked.

“Yes, I am. As a matter of fact, I have long believed that an established friendship should precede any romantic relationship.”

Lady Lucinda tilted her head. “Is that why you have yet to court? Trouble making friends?”

“Not everyone is as personable as you, my lady.”

Barry mentally patted himself on the back. That line was smooth.

Lady Lucinda bit her lip. It made Barry’s jaw go slack.

But, not wanting to stare dumbly at her for too long, Barry offered, “Would you like to dance?”

“Why, thank you, I would.”

For the first time ever, Barry was glad his mother had forced him to take dance lessons. He replayed the instructor's voice telling him which step to take next that was drilled into him from the hours of torment spent with her.

"You're grip is very strong, Your Highness." Lady Lucinda noted.

Barry became aware of how tightly he was holding Lucinda's hand and how stiff his entire body was. "Sorry, the nerves again."

When the song ended, Barry was relived.

Lady Lucinda sighed. "I know I must leave you, so you may be introduced to more ladies." She patted Barry's arm and whispered to him, "I'll be here dancing all night. Whatever you do with that information is up to you."

Like smoke, she disappeared into the sea of people surrounding Barry. Obviously, she was hoping he'd seek her out after he'd been introduced to all the ladies he was obligated to meet. Barry liked Lady Lucinda. A lot, actually. She was very attractive, witty, playful, and didn't seem put off by Barry's gracelessness. He could see himself being content with her.

Barry went on with his night, now able to relax, as meeting Lady Lucinda made him confident that he would be able to tell his father he was interested in a woman.

For the next hour or so, the Prince was introduced to a dozen more eligible maidens. Barry felt as though he were giving them a job interview, and in a way, he was. Though this particular interview was more personal than most. Barry could tell he was a disappointment to some, but that was fine with him. A few judgemental girls repelled was only going to help him.

After Barry drudged his feet through a dance with a snobby Duchess from the north, his father, Grand Duke Wells, and Earl H.R. of the 19th district, approached him.  

"You look like you're fairing well, ladies man." The King joked.

"Very funny." Barry smirked but he didn't laugh.

"Is meeting these ladies really as dreadful as you thought it would be?"

"Only a few of them."

The King clapped his son on the shoulder and chuckled.

"Good humored," H.R. noted. "Yet another important quality in a husband." He said a little louder so that those standing close could hear.

"Oh, would you both please stop?" Barry begged. 

"Alright, alright." The King complied. "We are just excited for you, that's all."

Grand Duke Wells, never one for chit chat, got straight to the point. "Are there any ladies you are particularly found of, Your Highness?"

He made sharp eye contact with Barry as a silent reminder of their prior conversation.

"As a matter of fact, I have." Barry informed him.

The King smiled from ear to ear. He looked like a man resisting the urge to jump for joy and shout to the heavens.

"Excellent!" He proclaimed. "Who is the lucky young woman who's caught your eye?"

"Lady Lucinda."

"Ahh! Meeting her first must've set a high standard for the evening, I see."

Barry nodded. "She's a lovely girl."

"A lovely girl, or a girl you love?" H.R. asked for clarification.

Barry noticed his father's smile falter. He looked down at the floor, trying to find a way to explain. "She's a lovely girl who I think I could love one day."

At once, the Grand Duke changed the subject so as not to let the King say anything to his son that might complicate the Prince's decision to propose a courtship to Lady Lucinda. "Your Highness, I believe there is another maiden patiently waiting to make your acquaintance at the bottom of the staircase."

"Excuse me." Barry nodded curtly to the gentlemen and left.

The King sighed.

"What's troubling you, Your Majesty?" H.R. asked.

"This Lady Lucinda is quite the respectable maiden. I think her and Barry are a good match."

"They are." Wells agreed. "I've heard of this girl. All who speak of her say she is charming, smart, and she enjoys sporting activities."

"Yes, they are a good match." The King repeated, more to himself than anyone.

H.R. was still concerned. "Then, why do you look dejected?"

"There is a great difference between a good match and love."

Wells rolled his eyes. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Your Majesty, but wasn't the purpose of this ball for the Prince to find a good match? A suitable future Queen?"

"Yes, yes." The King waved his hand in a motion like shooing away a fly. "But, I was praying for more than that. I want Barry to have the love I know he's been longing for."

"If I may say so, Your Majesty, I did try to warn you. But, you sire, like the Prince, are incurably romantic. We can see where the boy gets it from." Wells said.

H.R. laughed. "No doubt you saw the whole pretty picture in detail." He held up his hands like he was directing a film scene as he spoke. "The young Prince, bowing conceivably. Suddenly, he stops. He looks up. Behold, there she stands! The girl of his dreams!"

Wells looked annoyed but the King was listening intently to H.R.

"Who she is or where she came, he knows not, nor does he care. For his heart tell him that here, here is the maid destined to be his bride.

Wells scoffed. "A pretty plot for a fairy tale. But, in real life, it was all doomed to failure."

Barry had finished going through the motions of dancing with another girl. He returned to the staircase and was thankful to see two ladies there. This meant he could cross off two forced introductions with one princely smile. The ladies were Anastasia and Drizella, daughters of Lady Tremaine.

But, he didn't bother saying a single word to either of them, for the moment he bowed his head, he saw her enter.

There she is! The girl! Beautiful, stunning, a vision in blue. Barry could see the sparkle of her eyes from all the way across the ballroom. Her every move hypnotizing him into a love drunk stupor. The girl had an aura of soft light, like the sunshine. Just being in the same room as her flooded Barry with warmth. She seemed to glide across the floor like an elegant skater on the ice, or a cloud in the sky.

Barry felt as if the room's ceiling and floor vanished. It was just him and her, caught up in an enchanted daydream. If he were able to retch his eyes away from the girl, Barry would've seen that everyone was looking at her.

Barry walked past the girls in front of him, never giving them a thought again. He needed to get closer to the girl, just as much as he needed to breath. Barry murmured a practice of his 'how do you do?' before he got to her. His legs wobbled. If he were more boisterous, Barry would have flung out his arms and sung out the news, 'I HAVE FOUND HER!'

"I beg your pardon, Miss." Barry said breathlessly.

The girl glanced back at him. She was even more beautiful up close. Like an angel, with the dust of the stars in her eyes. When she faced him, Barry had to make conscious effort not to faint.

Oxygen escaped him, but as if on instinct, he said, "It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

She curtseyed. Her movements were like that a swan.

Barry's eyes fall on her hands. A proper introduction included the gentleman kissing the lady's hand. But, this felt more momentous than any other introduction. Touching her, a creature so pure, angelic, almost not of this world, was daunting. Barry didn't feel worthy. You don't touch a priceless sculpture. Although, Barry really wanted to. 

The girl nodded slightly, looking up at Barry from under her lashes that fluttered like butterfly wings.

Barry took one of her hands in both of his. The moment he made contact with her, his body surged with electricity. It was like being struck by lightning. If he thought that feeling was amazing, it was nothing compared to the thrill of kissing her hand. 

This was it. At long last, Barry found her. The one he'd been dreaming of for longer than he could remember. He was more certain of it than his own name.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Iris arrived at the Palace. It looked even more magnificent at its entrance than it had all the years she’d admired it from afar. Iris stepped out of the carriage with the help of an attendant. She smiled up at the Palace in awe, like a child, as she entered.

The foyer made a clean path to the ballroom. It was lined with statues of knights in shining armor, each with a real live knights standing beside them. They looked determinedly across the room, making no visible notice of Iris’ late arrival. It was a little unnerving.

Iris stood for a moment in the doorway, taking in the picturesque site.

The ballroom was enormous. Ornate candelabras drenched it in light. A half dozen crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The Royal Philharmonic played a symphony. More flowers than Iris had ever seen in any garden decorated the space. Marble columns with gold molding outlined the walls. It was impossible to look in any direction without seeing something made of gold.

Iris craned her head to peek through the crowd, most of whom were paying attention to a scene at the bottom of the grand staircase. She could make out the silhouette of a tall man. Two young ladies curtseyed before him.

The attendees seemed distracted, leading Iris to believe this was the best time to subtly join their midst. With trepidation, she crossed the threshold of the ballroom.

A group of giggly young ladies did a double take upon seeing Iris. Then, a man padded his comrade on the shoulder and pointed at Iris. She kept walking with her head down.

One by one, people turned to stare at Iris. She felt self-conscious. Where they staring because it was so obvious she didn’t belong among them? Unintelligible whispers of the gawkers plagued her ears. Iris felt horribly out of place. She Counted the tiles on the floor as she hustled towards a lonely corner.

Just before Iris made it to the sanctuary, a voice from behind halted her.

“I beg your pardon, Miss.”

Iris glanced over her shoulder to see a tall, handsome man with dark hair and bright eyes. He was looking at her in shock and awe. For some reason, his gaze was the only one that didn’t make Iris feel self-conscious. She turned to face him, the tulle of her gown dancing around her as she did.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The man said, rather breathlessly.

Iris curtseyed. She never truly mastered etiquette, but she assumed that curtseying was what was expected of her.

As she rose to her full height once again, Iris noticed the man’s attire. He was dressed in a red uniform, with military badges and the royal crest of the House of Allen. It was clear he was a high ranking member of society.

The man’s eyes went to her hand, than met hers, silently asking for permission. Iris nodded ever so slightly. The man smiled as he took her hand, cradling it like a precious jewel, and gently pressed his lips to it. Iris felt her heart flutter.

“I’m Barry.” The man introduced himself.

Before Iris could introduce herself to him, horns trumpeted. They startled Iris, but Barry was unfazed, still captivated by Iris.

An announcer spoke. “His Royal Highness, Prince Barry, is introduced to…………. a maiden of Central Kingdom.”

There were whispers among guests and Palace staff. Nobody knew who this girl was.

It took Iris a moment to realize the announcer was talking about her. Her jaw dropped when it occurred to her that it meant this man was the Prince.

“You’re the Prince?” She gasped.

“I am.” He said nonchalantly.

Iris became nervous again. She’d never interacted with anyone even close to such status. Unsure of what to say, she sank down in another curtsey.

Barry looked amused.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’ve never met royalty before. Please forgive me.”

“I should be thanking you.” He said. “As I think a second curtsey warrants a second kiss of your hand?”

Iris held back a school girl giggle.

Barry kissed her hand again. The feel of his lips on her flesh lingered, burned.

“Would you do me the honor of sharing a dance with me?” asked Barry.

Iris didn’t know how to dance properly. Her father taught her only a few steps, but she lacked his coordination. The rational side of her brain told her to decline, run away, and save herself the embarrassment of falling over her feet in front of so many people. But, something about being with Barry made Iris feel brave.

“Yes.”

Barry beamed.

Iris’ breath hitched when his hand held her waist.

The violins played a harmonious tune. Barry lead the dance and Iris tried to keep up with him. He twirled her around, and Iris felt her knees buckle when she saw all the other guests staring.

“They’re all looking at you.”

Barry chuckled. “Believe me, they’re all looking at you.”

The couple stepped and swayed. Iris got lost in the dance with him. The way Barry guided her across the floor made her feel as if she were gliding on a cloud. So steadfast in his movements and adoring in his gaze. The other guests disappeared. It was just her, Barry, and the pounding of her heart. Barry lifted Iris off her feet and twirled her around. She felt like an angel ascending into heaven.

When the music stopped, Iris was breathless. Barry’s hand remained on her waist, which she didn’t mind at all.

The outburst of applause jolted Iris back to reality and she remembered the spectators. Barry, who’d also been in a daze, became flustered upon hearing them clap.

The orchestra spared them from figuring out what to say when they began playing another piece. Like on instinct, Barry tightened his grip on Iris’ waist and danced with her a second time. Iris had never before felt the kind of intimacy she did dancing with Barry. She was in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by strangers, doing an activity she had little practice in, but for some reason, being with Barry felt natural.

As the second song ended, Barry dipped Iris. She looked up at him and couldn’t tell what was shining more brightly, the crystal chandeliers or his smile. The giggle she’d so far been successful in repressing escaped her lips as Barry raised her back up.

The other guests applauded, but less enthusiastically this time. They muttered about who this girl could be, why on Earth the Prince was so smitten with her, and when they would get a chance to dance with him.

Barry and Iris were deaf to it. Slowly, Barry took his hand off her waist. Iris wanted to say something, thank him for the dance, make him laugh, or impress him as a conversationalist, but every word in the English language was lost on her. She feared her heartbeat was so loud, Barry would hear it.

Barry was studying her. Iris felt like he was x-raying her soul. She stood proud before him, not as a poor commoner, not as Joe West’s daughter, not as a bar maiden, but just as herself. The purest form of herself, the person she kept hidden from the rest of the world. Tonight, she was herself, totally vulnerable to him, yet feeling so empowered.

Barry licked his lips. His pink, pretty lips that looked sweeter than honey. He leaned his head down towards Iris’ face. She closed her eyes and held her breath, anticipating a kiss.

Instead, Barry whispered into her ear, “May we take a stroll through the garden? It’s quiet and private there.”

Iris recovered quickly from her disappointment. It was probably wise to not be seen kissing a man she’d just met in front of so many people.

“I would like that.” Iris said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lady Lucinda is Linda Park, incase that wasn't already clear.


	4. Chapter 4

Barry took Iris by the hand and lead her out of the ballroom. The sweet smell of roses mixed with night air and the delicate breeze greeted the couple as they walked into the garden. Prying eyes follow them. The women wished they were this mystery girl and the men wished they could be walking alongside her. 

When they'd put a several meters between themselves and the doors to the ballroom, Barry was sure they'd be mere silhouettes to onlookers, so he wrapped his arm around Iris' waist, pulling her closer to him.

"It's a beautiful night." Iris remarked.

"It is." Barry agreed. "Though, not half as beautiful as you."

They rounded a corner and Barry was confident of their privacy now. The hedges in the Palace gardens were so tall and plentiful. A stranger would feel lost in a maze if they tried to follow Barry and Iris.

Barry sighed in relief. "It's much nicer out here than in there. I'm not an extrovert and I do not do so well with faking it."

"I used to think I was a one for the spotlight." Iris laughed. "Though now, I'm realizing that what I once believed to be a spotlight was more of a flicker of candlelight compared to the spotlight of a good fraction of the Kingdom watching me dance."

"Were you uncomfortable?" Barry asked, concerned. It was never his intention to make her feel compelled to dance if she did not want to.

Iris looked up at the tall Prince. "That's the most peculiar thing."

"What is? I happen to have a fondness for the peculiar."

"I felt more comfortable than I can ever remember feeling." Confessed Iris. "It was like being-"

"Home?" Barry interjected. "I felt it too." He realized how personal the words were after they were said. "Forgive me, I forget myself. That was a weird thing to say."

"No." Iris assured him. "I mean, strangely, I know what you mean."

The two gazed at one another in wonderment. 

"It's like finally coming home after a long journey you hadn't realized you were taking." Barry said.

"But," Iris giggled as she looked up at the enormous Place that towered over the garden's path. "You are home."

Barry's demeanor turned somber. "I've lived here my entire life, but I've never felt more at home than I do right now, with you. Forgive me if I am too forward, but you must know, from the moment I laid eyes on you, I have felt a serenity only possible when in one's home. My mother always likes to say that it's not where you are, but whom you are with that makes a place home. I didn't understand that before, but I do now. I am meant to be wherever you are next to me."

Iris didn't know what to say. She felt the same way about Barry, but couldn't tell him. The moment he found out that she was a poor bar maiden on the South side, this spell of affection would surely be broken.

"Was that too forward?" Barry asked, concerned.

"No." Iris answered. "I am just taking it all in. Your words are too kind. I'm undeserving of them. If they were uttered by another I would be sure this was a joke. But, I sense that you are as sincere as you are charming."

"I come off charming? Good! I was afraid I came desperate as a lovesick puppy."

Iris laughed. They continued their stroll through the vast garden.

"Astonishing how I can know my home is by your side, yet I don't even know your name." Barry said.

"Maybe, it's because what we are sharing in this moment is much greater than words. There is no one name to call the missing piece of your soul."

"Perhaps, a connection that's escaped definition." Barry humored her. "You are just as poetic as you are beautiful. But, what is your name?"

Iris smirked. "Now, if I told you that, you'd have no excuse to call me beautiful."

"Trust me, I don't need an excuse for that."

Iris squeezed his hand in appreciation for his flattery. 

Out of the corner of her eye, Iris spotted a bunny rabbit. 

"Aw, look!" Iris pointed to the creature. "What an adorable little fellow."

"You like bunnies? We have so many here in the garden."

"I love all animals." Iris said. "I have a pet turtle. He's my closest confidant."

Barry raised an eyebrow. "A turtle?"

"He's a very good listener." Iris said in defense.

"What's his name?"

"McSnurtle."

Barry snorted with laughter.

"It suits him!"

"Oh, I'm sure it does." Barry said, catching his breath. "The rhyme is amusing to me because I had a pet hamster as a child who I called Alexander Ham Bell."

Iris put her hands over her mouth to hide her dopey smile as she giggled. "As in the inventor, Alexander Graham Bell?"

"Yes. I thought it was heartfelt tribute to the man."

They laughed in unison, both taking the time to admire the other. Iris fell in love with the way the corners of his eyes crinkled. Barry fell in love with the melody of her laugh.

"My brother is quite the fan of Mr. Graham Bell. He's an inventor too, a brilliant one." Iris bragged. She remembered Wally and hoped his meeting with Lady McGee was going well.

"And what about you?" Barry inquired.

"I would like to be a writer." Iris answered.

"That takes quite the imagination."

"For fiction, yes. But, I would like to write about real life occurrences, truth." Iris elaborated. "The world is just so fascinated. It's already teeming with stories that one might think impossible until they see it for themselves. I don't think anyone's imagination can compete with the novelty of real life."

Barry stared at her, more enthralled by the second.

They happened upon a gorgeous fountain with a sculpture of beautiful and powerful looking woman holding a scepter. It's gentle trickle of water was serene. The stars in the clear night sky reflected in the small pool.

Barry saw Iris' eyes light up. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful."

"My grandmother sculpted it."

Iris gaped. "Really?"

"Mmm hmm." Barry nodded. "It took her the better part of two decades, but she finished it just before I was born. She chose to sculpt the Hera, goddess of women, marriage, family, and childbirth, said it would bring our family good luck."

Iris stepped closer to get a better look at the statue. It glowed in the moonlight. "Your grandmother was very talented."

"Thank you. She said what ultimately drove her to finish the piece was my mother, who was very anxious about her impending childbirth."

"Well, your mother brought you into the world. So, I would say that your grandmother succeeded in bringing your family good luck."

Blushing, Barry looked down at his feet. In the pool of the fountain, he was the smiling reflections of himself and the girl. The ripples in the water gave her an even more ethereal, dream-like appearance.

"Where did you come from, mystery girl?" Barry asked, knowing the true answer was his dreams.

Iris shrugged. "I've always been here, Barry."

Neither Barry nor Iris took notice of it, but also reflected in the water, was the Palace's clock tower.

Iris sat down on the fountain's edge and Barry followed suit. Across the garden, he recognized a glow of candlelight coming from the window to his mother's bedchamber. He knew she was too weak to be out of bed but was probably lying awake thinking about what was happening at the ball at this moment. Barry smiled, for if his mother could see this girl, her worries that Barry would not find true love were be put to rest. 

"You look deep in thought." Iris said. 

She just met him, yet she could already read him like her favorite book.

"I'm thinking about my mother." Barry sighed. "She loves it here, in the garden. Though, she's quite ill and hasn't been able to smell the flowers in ages."

"I'm so sorry." Iris put her hand on Barry's shoulder. "Fret over Her Majesty's sickness has spread throughout the Kingdom. If it's any comfort, know that all of her people are praying for her recovery."

"It is a comfort. But, at this point, I'm afraid we have to accept that there will not be recovery. She's been sick since I was a child. After all these years of fighting, it looks like her battle will be coming to end shortly."

"I'm sorry." Iris said again. "She is an extraordinary woman and Queen."

Barry smiled. "She is! Did you know, she traveled the world twice?"

"I did not." Iris admitted, happy to see Barry's enthusiasm. 

"She also singlehandedly negotiated the Kingdom's acquisition of our new territory in the North. While sick, mind you."

Iris was impressed. "Quite the achievement when well."

"My mother has never been one to wither away with her illness. She wants to make the most of the time she has." Barry fondly recalled one of his mother's favorite sayings, "She always tells me, Heaven is the most wonderful place imaginable. But, it's where we'll spend eternity, so take your time getting there."

Iris did a little skip of joy and giggle. The truth in the Queen's words rung true in her ears. "Your mother sounds very wise."

"She is." Barry said. "I hope she'd able to take a little more time before going."

The crack in his voice opened a locked door in Iris' heart. One that she never thought she would open again.

"My mother is in Heaven." Iris told him.

Francine West died when Iris was very young. Too young to really remember much about her mother before she got sick. Wally only knew of Francine in her sickest of days. But, their father would tell them stories about how their mother was the most kind person in the world. Iris wanted to be just like her. She never talked about her mother with anyone outside of her family. It was too painful. 

"Do you suppose one day, our mothers will get to know each other?" Iris offered.

Barry chuckled. "I don't see why not."

"My poor father," Iris sighed. "He hides his heartache the best he can, but I know he's still grief-stricken."

"I'm sure my father will be no different. Perhaps, that's the only downside to such a great love."

"When death does you part?"

"Yes." Barry breathed.

"But maybe, somehow, a love like that can transcend all thing, even death. A love so powerful that no master what universe the souls are in, they are meant to be together." 

"I like that idea."

Barry's lips curled into a smile. It's shine made the stars dim in comparison. 

"You have the most beautiful smile." Iris said. She caressed Barry's cheek. "There's turmoil in your life, but you maintain such a sweet spirit. You are the happiest boy I've ever met."

"I have a feeling that's because you entered my life."

Iris was glad she was sitting down, for her knees had gone weak. Barry leaned in slightly. Iris kicked her legs out, trying to return sensation to the body his words had melted. When she did, one of her glass slippers fell off.

"Oh!" Iris started to stand up, but Barry took her hand.

"Let me." He insisted.

Barry picked up the fallen slipper and knelt down in front of Iris. He looked up into Iris' eyes. She would have liked to stay like that for a while, free to get lost looking into the green and blue orbs, forgetting about her shoe.

"May I?" Barry asked.

"Oh, yes." Iris held her up a few centimeters.

Barry slipped the glass footwear on Iris with delicate precision. It fit perfectly. Iris' breath hitched.

When he was done, Barry looked back into her eyes. "Please tell me who you are." He begged.

Iris hung her head. She whispered, "You wouldn't ever look at me like that again if you knew."

"I would." Barry promised. "Please!"

Iris didn't speak.

"I love you." Barry confessed. "That will never change."

Iris was still silent. All her thoughts of a reply were drowned out by the pounding of her heart.

"I want to tell you everything about me. How I feel, how you make me feel!" Barry cried. He stood up. "I want to know everything about you!"

Iris was frozen.

Barry felt like he'd been stabbed through the heart. "Do you not feel the same way?"

Iris shook her head instinctively. Barry sat back down at her side. She looked back into his eyes.

"I love you, Barry." She confessed.

Barry's whole face lit up. His heart soared. That was all he'd ever wanted to hear this girl, the girl of his dreams, the love of his life, say.

He cupped her face and brought his lips to hers. 

The world around them was forgotten. Not even the Royal Philharmonic could master the harmony of violins and harps playing in their heads, accompanied by the voices of angels. It was bliss. 

Their brains ended the kiss, to the dismay of their hearts, by reminding them they still needed air. Iris kept her eyes closed. Barry only moved his his lips an inch from hers.

"Please tell me," Barry whispered. "What's your name?"

Iris gave in. She wanted to be with Barry more than anything. The chance that he might become disenchanted with her when he learned of her humble background was one Iris had to take. She trusted that Barry would be able to see past it.

"I-"

Just as she began to utter her name, the gong of the clock tower rung out across the Palace grounds. It made Iris jump. Her head spun in the direction of the news. When she saw that the clock had struck midnight, she panicked. Cisco and Caitlin had warned her to leave before midnight. Wally would be waiting for her on the path.

Iris turned back to Barry. She stole one last look into his eyes.

"I have to go."


	5. Chapter 5

Before Barry could even process what Iris had said, she was nearly out of sight.

"WAIT!" He called.

Still thunderstruck, Barry staggered to his feet and chased after her.

Iris picked up her skirt and ran as fast as she could. "I'm sorry. I have to go."

"PLEASE, wait just a moment for me!" Barry yelled while running, leaving him short of breath. "I don't even know your name. How will I find you? Wait!"

Iris wished she could wait, say goodbye to Barry, but she knew she had to get out there as fast as possible. It was a miracle her dress hadn't returned to the soiled mess it truly was already. She hoped McSnurtle would still be a horse by the time she made it outside, otherwise she'd be trapped at the Palace. 

Iris frantically tried to recall the path back to the Palace. The garden was so big. She and Barry had made so many turns through the rows of hedges and flowers, Iris couldn't be sure she was going the right way. She followed direction the music was coming from, knowing it would lead her to the ballroom.

Barry's footsteps and cries for her to come back made Iris desperate. She hiked up her skirt and hopped over a row of a daffodils. The cool midnight air that was once so pleasant was now cutting the back of Iris' throat as she gasped for breath.

Iris made it to the ballroom, where the rest of the guests were carrying on with the party as if the Prince and a mystery girl hadn't abandoned them.

"Excuse me. Pardon me. So sorry. I must be going. Sorry." Iris said as she pushed her way through the crowd of dancing couples and gossiping socialites.

Heads were turning. People were whispering about the reappearance of the mystery girl and why she was running across the ballroom in such an undignified way. Iris didn't have time to feel self conscious, Barry was gaining on her.

He'd just entered the ballroom. His eyes scanned the room for his beloved while his lungs took advantage of the moment's break from running. Barry saw a prudish old woman looking positively affronted as a girl in blue bumped by her.

There she is! Barry's heart skipped a beat. He got a second wind and ran after her.

"PLEASE COME BACK!" Iris heard Barry shout. She kept going.

"Oh, Your Highness." A lady stood in Barry's way and curtseyed.

"Excuse me." He said, walking around her. 

Within a matter of seconds, a group of eager ladies had surrounded Barry. They were clamoring to introduce themselves. Barry craned his neck to see his dream girl sprinting out the door.

"STOP HER!" The Prince commanded, pointing at the fading figure of the mystery girl.

Etiquette be damned. Barry pushed his way through the swarm of eligible maidens. He continued his chase of the mystery girl and Palace guards joined him.

Barry only paused when he saw the announcer, who'd taken to drunkenly dancing with the portrait of a busty lady.

"Find out her name!" The Prince ordered. 

Iris hurried down the Palace steps two at a time. She smiled in relief when she saw her carriage, still golden and bearing no resemblance to a pumpkin. McSnurtle was still in his stallion form. He huffed and threw his silvery mane back, apparently annoyed with Iris for taking so long to come out. 

It seemed that she was in the clear, until the Palace doors burst open behind her and the Prince came charging out.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" He cried. "PLEASE COME BACK!"

Iris moved so quickly down the remainder of the steps that one of her glass slippers fell off. She noticed, but didn't go back for it, figuring that she could go faster without the heel anyway.

"YOU FORGOT YOUR SHOE!" Barry called.

The Prince's efforts were fruitless. Iris jumped into the carriage and slammed the door behind her.

"Let's go!" She told McSnurtle.

He ran at full speed.

Barry tried to run after her, but not even the fastest man alive could catch up to a speeding horse. The Prince was left, breathless and defeated in the dust of the carriage's wake.

"STOP THAT COACH! CLOSE THE GATES!" The booming voice of a guard echoed.

Iris gulped. She saw the gigantic iron gates closing and feared they wouldn't be able to make it out. McSnurtle was determined, he ran faster than any turtle could dream of going. The carriage passed the gates just in time.

"OPEN THE GATES! FOLLOW THAT COACH!" The guard was now yelling. 

Iris peered out the window and saw a troop of guards on horseback running after her. 

"They're coming after us!" Iris warned McSnurtle.

He was already running at full speed. Iris felt more adrenaline pumping through her now than ever.

"YOU THERE, STOP IN THE NAME OF THE KING!"

McSnurtle took a sharp turn, driving into the woods. 

Iris screamed and clutched at her seat for dear life as the carriage bumped over logs and bounced against trees.

McSnurtle slowed down. Not because he wanted to, but because his long horse legs were receding up into his body and turning webbed. The carriage's interior began to feel sticky. Iris realized it turning back into a pumpkin. She looked out the window and saw that the wheels were now green vines.

Iris kicked open the carriage door and jumped out. She landed on the the forrest in the red, tattered, muddy dress she'd left Cecile's house in. McSnurtle, a turtle once more, lay in the middle of the newly made trail, head tucked deep inside his shell. An ordinary pumpkin was beside him

"Oh my goodness." Iris sighed.

As she caught her breath, she heard the Palace guards getting closer. "THEY WENT THIS WAY!" 

Iris snatched McSnurtle out of the way so that he would not be crushed by the oncoming stampede. She ducked behind a large oak tree.

The guards on horseback passed Iris one by one, smashing the pumpkin to pieces. 

When the brigade was far enough away that Iris could no longer hear the galloping of horses, she emerged from her hiding place.

McSnurtle also peeked his head out. Iris stroked his shell and smiled. He looked up at her, annoyed.

"I'm sorry. I- I guess I forgot about everything, even the time." Iris said.

McSnurtle softened and came out of his shell fully. He kept looking at Iris, as if to ask how was the ball.

"It was so wonderful! And he was so handsome! And when we danced," Just the memory made of Barry's touch made Iris gasp. "Oh, I'm not sure I believe in destiny, but........." Iris shook her head. She forced the absurd idea out of her head. "It's over now." She reminded herself. Time to go back to reality.

Tomorrow she'd wake up in her family's tiny cottage on the South side and put in another 12 hour shift at the tavern. Nobody was ever going to know about of her brief love affair with the Prince. Barry would certainly meet another girl at the ball, more beautiful and accomplished than her, fall madly in love, and forget all about the strange girl who ran away.

Iris began the long walk out of the woods and down the path to the location she promised to meet Wally. After taking a few steps, she remembered that she was only wearing one shoe. She lifted the hem of her tattered excuse for a dress and saw, to her bewilderment, the glass slipper. It was still on her foot. Unlike everything else transformed by Cisco and Caitlin, the slipper had not returned to it's original state.

Iris took it off and turned it over in her hands, inspecting it. The shoe was still in perfect condition. A few tears of joy accompanied Iris' laughter. She could keep the glass slipper. A souvenir of this incredible night, a reminder that it was real. 

"Thank you." Iris whispered. She had no idea who Cisco and Caitlin were, where they came from, how they found her, or where they went. But, she was eternally grateful to them for making the best night of her life possible.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

 "We searched everywhere for her. But, the girl is nowhere to be found. She's disappeared into thin air." Captain Singh of the Royal Guard informed the King, Prince Barry, the Grand Duke, and Earl H.R. They'd gathered in the Palace conference room.

"Did we at least find out her name?" The Prince asked.

The Captain's face revealed the answer was no. Barry buried his face in his hands. He hadn't slept a wink last night, unable to get the mystery girl out of his mind. The short time he spent with her was the happiest he'd ever been. Being with her was like being with his best friend. Barry was determined to find her. He would not- No, COULD not rest until he did.

"It's interesting." H.R. said. He tapped his finger against his chin. "This girl vanishes just as mysteriously as she appeared. Nobody knows who she is or where she came from and the Prince say she didn't want to tell him that information."

"Are you supposing something or just sating the obvious again?" Grand Duke Wells groaned.

"Supposing that this girl could be," H.R. paused for dramatic effect. "A spy!"

Wells snorted in disbelief. "A spy?"

"From a foreign Kingdom sent her by her government to try and woo our Prince into a courtship that will lead to a beneficial alliance between the Kingdoms!"

"If she were so skilled in the art of charming foreign leaders for her Kingdom's advantage, it would be all the more reason for His Royal Highness to marry her. But, the idea is ludicrous. She was not a spy."

"Could have come from another land?" The King suggested. "It could explain why our record keepers didn't know who she was, as invitations were only passed out to those in this Kingdom. She probably ran away in fear that her nationality would be discovered and the guards would remove her for crashing the ball. Did she have an accent, son?"

"No." Barry sighed. "She was from our Kingdom."

"Did you notice any identifying features?" Wells asked.

"Her beauty." Barry answered. It was true. The girl had been more breathtakingly gorgeous than anyone he'd ever seen. "Even the stars in the hazy heaven trembled about us, outshone by her."

Wells didn't appreciate the Prince's romance. "That's not helpful."

Barry gazed out the window into the garden. He saw the fountain were they'd kissed just hours ago. His lips tingled, feeling the ghost of the mystery girl's lips. He remembered looking into her soft, kind eyes.

"Why would she run away?" The King pondered.

"I've no idea." Barry admitted. 

"It pains me to say it, Your Highness, but perhaps she fled because she was not so smitten?" H.R. squeaked.

That was a possibility Barry had considered. The fact that she ran just after they shared a kiss made him insecure. But, before his fear got the better of him, Barry reminded himself that she did not look put off by their kiss. She'd said she loved him too. She was about to say something to him, maybe her name. Until, the clock tower gonged.

"It was the sound of the clock that spooked her. She ran after hearing the time." Barry informed them.

"It was just after midnight when our chase began." Captain Singh reported.

"Did she have a curfew?" The King laughed.

"Whatever the reason, she did not want to go." Barry asserted. "She said she had to."

The King sighed. He turned to Captain Singh. "Are there any leads at all, Captain?"

The Captain shook his head in shame.

"The glass slipper!" Barry interjected. The Prince pulled the delicate shoe out of his coat pocket. "It came off when she was running down the Palace steps. She was in such a hurry that she didn't come back for it."

"That gives us a few clues." Captain Singh said. "She is obviously very wealthy, if she could afford to wear such fine shoes, let alone leave one behind. She must not have come far either."

"Excuse me, but are we really going to waste more time searching for a girl who does not want to be found? There are more important matters at hand. We could not find the girl. I know it's a disappointment, Your Highness, but the world keeps turnings. We must move on with our lives." Wells insisted.

"I can't!" The Prince's voice cracked. He was close to tears. "I must find her! I must see her again! When I do, if she does not want me, I will accept that. But, I have to see her just one more time! I have to say goodbye to her. She has captured my heart and there is no way I can get it back until I at least say goodbye."

Barry looked at his father. "I love her."

The King patted his son on the shoulder. "Then I give you my word, Barry, we will find her."

"How?!" Wells inquired.

"The glass slipper!" The King said confidently. "Captain, a task force will travel the Kingdom, mandating that every female between the ages of 18 and 35 try on the shoe. If it fits, she will be brought to the Palace, where the Prince will identify if she is the girl or not."

Wells did not look enthusiastic, but he held his tongue.

"Why don't we go to your office and discuss officers best suited for the task?" The King offered. He and Captain Singh left the conference room.

Barry was about to exit too, but he felt Wells' eyes drilling into his back.

"What is it, Grand Duke?"

"You are an intelligent man, Your Highness, but easily blinded by the rose tinted glasses of romance. Do you really think this search is in the Kingdom's best interest?"

"Yes." Barry told him. "After receiving your council, I spoke with my mother. She taught me that in order to be a good ruler, I must be happy. If I am forever tormented by the mystery of this girl, I will never be able to focus on Kingdom's more pressing matters. My judgement will never be clear. Closure of some kind is needed for me to succeed as King."

"That is a selfish delusion." Wells said flatly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You will put the Kingdom into a tizzy with this shoe fitting. When it yields no results, you will be more upset than ever. All this over a girl who ran from you when there was a ballroom packed with girls who'd give anything to be with you."

"They would only want to be with me for the status!"

"Yes, and how awful it would be to have a wife who respects social structure. That would be a disaster for her role in our Kingdom's politics." Wells said sarcastically.

"If I may," H.R. chimed in. "Say we compromise? His Royal Highness gets his search but it will be limited to 30 days. If the girl is not found by then, he moves on. I know Lady Lucinda was disappointed she did not get a second dance with you."

"Lady Lucinda would be a perfect fit for Queen." Wells said.

Barry thought about it. He wanted to see the mystery girl again more than he'd ever wanted anything. But, he knew that it would be selfish to search for her forever, neglecting his responsibilities. If she could not be found, he would still have to find closure somehow. Perhaps a deadline would help.

"Alright." The Prince agreed. 

Wells and H.R. looked pleased as they left the room.

Barry smirked when he heard Wells mumble, "All the maidens in the Kingdom and he has to pick the fast one!"

Barry clutched the glass slippers. Parting with it so that it could be used for the search will be difficult. It hadn't left Barry's side once since he retrieved it from the steps. He felt close to his love when he looked at it. It served as souvenir of their incredible night, a reminder that it was real. 

"I know you're out there." Barry whispered, holding the glass slipper over his heart. "I'll find you."


	6. Chapter 6

When Iris awoke the morning after the ball, it all felt like a distant dream. She she lay in bed for a while, fearing she had lost her mind. A pumpkin turning into a coach, a turtle turning into a horse, and, craziest of all, a poor bar maiden turning into the belle of the ball.

Iris got out of bed, lifted her sheets, and peaked under her bed. She was almost convinced it wouldn’t still be there, that it would have vanished into thin air like everything else. Or, maybe it never existed to begin with.

But, there it was; the glass slipper. It’s perfect clarity gleamed even in the darkness. Iris held it.

“It was real.” She whispered.

How it all transpired, Iris only had a vague idea. The exact details of how she went from laying on the muddy ground in tears, to walking across the the Palace ballroom, escaped her. It was a blur of happiness, wonder, and disbelief.

But, Iris remembered everything from the moment she laid eyes on Barry. She saw his face in her mind every time she closed her eyes. She felt the burn of his touch when she thought about the way he’d held her hand. She didn’t think she could ever forget Barry.

A knock on her bedroom door startled Iris.

“Good morning.” Wally’s voice said from the other side. “May I come in?”

“Just a moment, please.” Iris replied as she hastily stashed the slipper back under her bed. “Alright, you may come in now.”

The door opened and a concerned looking Wally entered. “How are you this morning?”

“Fine.” Iris answered.

“Really? You’re not tired from staying out past midnight?”

Iris rolled her eyes. Wally had been anxiously waiting for Iris to meet him at their designated spot for nearly half an hour. When she finally arrived, he was shocked to see her in a torn up gown, covered in dirt, and barefoot. Iris told him it happened when she fell into a thorn bush while strolling through the garden. She wished she was a better liar.

“Iris,” Wally swallowed. He was not just teasing. “Will you please tell me what happened last night?”

Iris had to make a conscious effort not to let her voice raise to an incriminatingly high pitch. “Nothing of particular interest.”

“Iris!” Wally pleaded.

“What?”

“Did something bad happened?”

“No!” Iris assured him. “I really am fine.”

“You didn’t appear fine last night.”

“Wally,” Iris put her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eye. “I swear to you, I had a wonderful time at the ball.”

That was not a lie, it was just a version of the truth that did not include the events leading up to her arrival at the ball. Maybe that’s why Wally seemed to believe Iris now.

“Ok.” He sighed.

“Thanks for worrying about me.”

“Of course.”

“How did last night go for you?” Iris asked.

She was eager to hear Wally tell her everything about his meeting with Lady McGee. They didn’t have the chance to talk about it last night, as their conversation was dominated by Iris’ disheveledness.

“Not how I’d hoped.” Wally sighed.

“Oh no!”

“Lady McGee complimented my ideas, but doesn’t think they are practical for real world application.”

Iris gave her brother a reassuring hug. “One day, you’ll someone who sees the genius in your ideas. I forward thinker, ready for the future to get here quick.”

“Thanks.”

Iris and Wally went into the kitchen for breakfast and found their father sitting at the table, happily engaged in conversation with Cecile. Apparently, something in the daily paper had got their attention.

“Everybody is already talking, speculating who the girl might be.” Cecile told Joe.

“She just ran out?” Joe asked.

Cecile nodded. “The Prince chased her, going so far as to order members of the guard to pursue her carriage on horseback as she fled.”

Wally sat down beside them at the table. He peered over at the newspaper. “What are you talking about?”

“The Ball.” Cecile and Joe said in unison.

“An unidentifiable maiden attended, stole the Prince’s heart, and then ran away.” Cecile said.

Iris’ heart stopped when she overheard the conversation. She dropped the knife she was using to butter her toast. It’s clank upon hitting the floor prompted Cecile to look in Iris’ direction.

“Iris, dear, did you see the Prince and the mystery girl at the ball last night?”

“No.” Iris lied. She cleaned off the knife and continued making her breakfast, refusing to face her family and friend.

Iris had already been dreading confessing to Cecile that the gown she was generous enough to lend to her was now a muddied rag. Now, she would also have to dodge questions about her time at the ball.

“But you must have seen the commotion when the girl ran away, no? The paper describes it as quite the scene.” Cecile said.

“Uh- I was in the garden for some time.”

“Wait, a girl whom the Prince was interested, ran away from him?” Wally asked in shock as he skimmed through the report.

“Word is, the Prince is desperate to find her.” said Cecile.

“Every other girl in the Kingdom was there, ready to run towards him, not away.” Wally said, puzzled.

“She must have been a truly remarkable young lady.” Joe commented, making Iris flush.

“Remarkably stupid.” Wally huffed. “She had the Prince eating out of her hand, ready to slip a ring onto it. Why would she give up the opportunity to live in the lap of luxury the rest of her life?”

“She was likely a member of high society by birth.” Cecile reasoned.

“Maybe the Prince isn’t as charming as they say.” Joe laughed.

“Or,” Iris spoke in a meek voice. “Perhaps her departure was nothing to do with the Prince, but with her certainty that they could never be together, as she wouldn’t suit the role of Queen?”

Iris still had her back to them, but could feel their eyes on her.

“Just a theory.” She added with a fake laugh.

“With all due respect, Iris, I don’t think that’s it. Everyone was struck by this girl’s beauty and grace. The author of this piece writes, ‘She radiates class and exudes poise in her every motion. To be in her presence was to know you were in that of a future Princess.”

Iris shook her head. There was no way anyone would write that about her. She wondered if she was still in bed, dreaming.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

“How are you feeling today, mom?” Prince Barry asked as he entered his mother’s room.

The Queen smiled feebly. “Better now that you are here.”

Barry pulled up a chair and sat at his mother’s bedside. She looked at him with a certain twinkle in her eye, a mixture of love and some exasperation.

“How was the ball?”

The Queen’s attempt to be nonchalant failed miserably. Color rose in Barry’s cheeks. He had to clear his throat before he spoke.

“It was wonderful.” He admitted. “Far better than I’d expected it to be. In fact, far better than I could have dreamed it would be.”

“She was that pretty?” His mother teased.

Barry rolled his eyes. “I take it dad filled you in?”

“Yes, but you know he’s more suited to ruling than storytelling. I would very much like to hear you recount it.”

Barry wanted to tell her all about the mystery girl. How beautiful, kind, insightful she was. How she made his heart beat faster than he thought possible. How being with her made it the best night of his life. Barry wanted to talk of nothing but the girl of his dreams.

But, his heart sank when he remembered how the night ended.

“I found her.” The Prince whispered. “I was lucky enough to find her. Then…….”

“Oh, my beautiful boy.” Nora reached out her weak hand and stroked Barry’s cheek. “Just hours prior to this you were worried you wouldn’t find her. Now you have! Do you know what that means?”

Barry shook his head.

“It means you can find her again.”

Barry smiled. He had faith in his guard. The prospect of not seeing her again was just too haunting for him not to feel anxious.

“Why would she run away?” Barry asked. Somehow, he got the feeling that if anyone could understand why, it would be his mother.

“Well, this life can be intimidating. You of all people know the pressure our family is under. The constant duty and relentless scrutiny. Perhaps, she was frightened by it all. She may not see herself as a Princess.”

“Then, she did not see herself the way I saw her.” Barry said. If there was ever a woman fit to be Royalty, possessing every quality he thought important in a Princess and future Queen, it was her.

A horrible thought entered Barry’s mind. He went pale.

Always the attentive mother, Nora asked, “What’s the matter?”

Barry gulped. “What if you are right, and she doesn’t want the burdens of this life. I can give her anything but simplicity, privacy, or freedom. Marrying me would force the duties of Princess upon her. What if I am not enough for her to be willing to make those sacrifices?”

Nora held her son’s hand. Barry knew she didn’t try to counter his worry, because it was a valid one. There was a good chance that if one ball overwhelmed this girl, the life of a consort would be out of the question.

“We don’t know why she ran.” The Queen reminded him. “I have been wrong before. Rarely, but it has happened.”

The mother and son laughed until a voice interrupted them.

“He probably just stepped on her toe while they waltzed.”

Barry looked up to see his father entering the room.

“I love you, but you were never the most graceful one, slugger.”

The King bent down to kiss his wife as she lay in bed. He accidentally bumped noses with her.

Barry laughed. “Come to provide anything but Irony, dad?”

“I have. A royal spokesman has been sent to every province in the Kingdom to give an official statement on behalf of you, informing them that in the coming weeks, members of the guard will be requesting maidens try on the glass slipper.” The King said. “By the nightfall, there will not be a soul in the Kingdom who’s unaware of your search for the girl from the ball.”

 

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Iris’ shift at Drunkards was like any other. Preparing drinks, dealing with rowdy customers, talking to her favorite regulars. Except, today, all anyone wanted to talk about the mystery girl who capture the Prince’s heart at the ball. Iris convinced herself that the claim’s of the Prince’s love where exaggerated by each retelling of the story.

People speculated that he would be looking for the girl. Iris thought it a sensationalized rumor until, a man in crimson robes bearing the Allen family crest came into the bar. He stood in the center of the room and gained the attention of everyone before he even spoke a word.

“Ladies and gentleman of the South side of Central Kingdom, I come bearing news that His Royal Highness, Prince Barry, is seeking a reunion with a maiden he met at the ball. His Highness is hoping to see this maiden again as soon as possible. Unfortunately, he is unsure of her identity. The only clue, a glass slipper she left behind as she exited.”

Whispers filled the air around the crowd of onlookers.

“The Royal Guard is in possession of the slipper and, at the command of His Majesty, King Henry, we will be asking every maiden who attended the ball to try on the slipper.”

The whispers erupted into excited conversations. The announcer had to shout to finish his message.

“Any maiden whom the slipper fits, will be escorted to the Palace to meet with The Prince.”

Iris was thunderstruck. It was all true. Barry was searching for her. He really did love her. Iris let her heart soar for a minute as she remember his kiss. She would love to be with him again, even just for one more moment. A voice in her head urged her to leap over the bartop, run towards the announcer, and beg to try on the slipper right here in front of everyone.

But, Iris was not sure she wanted to try on the slipper. It would mean being taken to the Palace, in all her humble lack of glory. There would be no Cisco or Caitlin to transform her into someone passable as a Princess. Pumpkins would not convert to golden carriages. The Prince would see that the girl who enthralled him was nothing more than a peasant.

Iris looked down at beer stained apron. She would probably be unrecognizable to Barry if he saw her like this. He was seeking a Princess. She was only a sham.


	7. Chapter 7

Just one day after the royal guard announced that it would be searching for the girl from the ball by having maidens try on the glass slipper, the Prince was informed they had found a girl whom the slipper fit.

Barry’s heart leapt from his chest. That meant his dream girl was on her way to the Palace right now. He apologized to his tutor and ran out of the lesson. He changed into his best suit, having to retie the tie a few times because his hands were shaking with anticipation.

One his way down to the entry hall, the Prince decided to go to the garden and pick flowers for his beloved. A reminder of their intimate conversation from that night in the garden and a classic romantic gesture. Barry couldn’t decide which flowers to bring her. Would she like daisies or would she like tulips? He thought about roses, but they seemed too cliche.

The Prince paced around the flower bed. A terrible but wonderful anxiety made even a simple choice like this feel impossible. None of the flowers were beautiful enough to be worthy of giving her. Then, a patch of irises caught his eye.

The flowers stood tall and proud. Pink, yellow, white, blue, but mostly purple in color, the irises were all unique and intricate. Barry picked his favorites among them and arrange a makeshift bouquet in his hands.

He went to the entry hall, feeling closer to destiny with each step he took. When the doors were in sight, Barry ran towards them. He stopped abruptly just in front of them. On the other side of the door was his love. The thought of seeing her again made his nerves tingle. He took a deep breath, telling himself to be charming.

One of the guards posted at the side of the door smiled, a rare deviation from their typical stone faced stare.

“Am I that desperate looking?” The Prince asked.

“By the way you look, Your Highness, it must be true love.”

Barry smiled.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.” Barry answered.

The guards opened the doors to the entry hall. The guard on the other side announced the Prince’s entrance. Barry wasn’t listening. His eyes widened as he looked over the people standing in the room.

Captain Singh and several other guards were there. A girl stood in the center of them. Barry’s eyes kept scanning, searching for the maiden who stole his heart.

But, she was not among them.

“Where is she?” Barry asked, rather rudely in hindsight.

The girl stepped forward and curtseyed.

Captain Singh held out his arms. “Your Royal Highness, may I present to you, Miss Patricia Spivot.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. Please, call me Patty.” The girl said.

Barry barely looked at her. He was still clinging to the hope that the girl would emerge from behind one of the guards.

An awkward silence fell. It was broken when Captain Singh cleared his throat.

The Prince finally greeted Miss Spivot, though ee forwent the common practice of kissing her hand. “The pleasure is all mine.”

Captain Singh continued the introduction. “Miss Spivot is the top of her class in the forensic science program at Royal University. She is also the daughter of a the great and fallen guard, Patrick Spivot. May he rest in peace.”

“Thank you for your father’s service.” Barry said to Patty.

She smiled. “Thank you, Your Highness. I hear you have an interest in forensics as well?”

“Yes.” Barry acknowledged, but he didn’t continue the conversation with Patty. He approached Captain Singh instead.

“Captain,” The Prince whispered. “This is not her!”

“Her foot fit the glass slipper.” Captain Singh informed him. “Are you sure this is not the girl from the ball?”

“Certain. She is too tall, too pale. Her hair is too light and too short. Her eyes aren’t as soft and warm.”

“We were instructed to bring any maiden whom the slipper fit to the Palace.”

“Thank you, Captain. But, it must be coincidence the slipper fit her. She’s not the one I’m looking for.” The Prince sighed.

“Seven is very common shoe size.”

“I know.” Barry admitted. “But, it’s all I have to go on.”

He turned to the girl called Patty. “I am so sorry, genuinely, Miss. But, I’m afraid-”

“I’m not the mystery girl you fell in love with.” Patty finished the sentence for him.

Barry looked at her apologetically.

“I understand.” Patty said.

“I sorry for the inconvenience of traveling here.”

“I should have known better than to come. Of course, I knew I wasn’t the girl you’re looking for. I just thought it might be nice to meet you.”

Patty curtseyed and turned to leave.

Barry felt like a terrible person. This nice girl came to see him, and he brushed her off. Even though she wasn’t the person he was looking for, she was still a person.

“Wait, Miss.” The Prince said, halting her. “I’d like you to have these.” He gave her the flowers.

Patty smiled. “Thank you. They’re lovely.”

“So are you.” Barry told her. “Patty, you are very pretty, and you must be quite brilliant too. It sounds as though we also have common interest. But………”

“I’m not her.” Patty said.

“You will be someone else’s her. A very lucky someone.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

The Prince took her hand and placed a soft kiss on it. “Call me Barry.”

Patty smiled somberly. “Goodbye, Barry.”

 

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“Iris! Iris!” Cecile repeated. She banged her hand on the bar. “Iris West!”

That snapped Iris out of her daydream. She was imaging what it would be like when she was brought to the Palace after having fit into the glass slipper. Trepidation was fading and Iris was starting to feel eager to try on the shoe.

She’d decided not to tell anyone that she was the mystery girl. For one, she wasn’t sure they’d believe. Another, she wanted to wait until the guard came to her cottage and requested she try on the slipper. It would take them a while to get there, as they’d have to fit every maiden in the most affluent parts of the Kingdom before making their way to the South side. Iris wanted to be sure that Barry would not change his mind about this endeavor to find her. She needed to know that he was serious, not just going after her because she was a mystery.

“I’m sorry, Cecile.” Iris said, coming back to reality. “What were you saying?”

“Honey, you’ve been drying that same flask for twenty minutes.”

“Oh….”

Cecile smirked. “Iris, what’s gotten into you? For the past three days you’ve been acting out of character. Head in the clouds and stars in your eyes.”

Iris shrugged. “I’ve been in a pleasant mood.”

“You’ve been walking on air since the ball.” Cecile noted.

“Which reminds me, I am so sorry about your daughter’s gown!” Iris apologized for the hundredth time.

Cecile put finger over Iris’ lips. “Enough. It’s alright, dear. My daughter was never going to wear that dress again anyway. I’m glad you had a good time in it. And don’t you dare try to give me money. I will throw it back in your face. You work too hard for it, you keep it.”

“You’re too kind.”

Cecile patted herself on the back, making Iris laugh. She then took a long look at Iris, as if x-raying her.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Iris asked.

“Your mood has been more than ‘pleasant’ recently. In fact, I think there’s only one thing that could have you so giddy.”

Iris raised an eyebrow. “What, pray tell, is that?”

“You’ve met someone!” Cecile said in a sing-song voice.

Iris bit her lip. Her cheeks were warm and her stomach did a slip. She felt shy, like a school girl asked about a crush.

“Oh, come on! Tell me about him!” Cecile pleaded.

Iris looked at the floor, Barry’s face swimming in her mind. The past few nights, she lay awake in bed, counting the freckles she remember on his face. The feeling just thinking of him gave Iris was overwhelming. She loved and hated it. He made her feel like she was flying and drowning in the ocean at the same time. Iris wasn’t sure if she wanted fawn over his memory in serenity or scream in desperation due to their distance.

“Please!” Cecile cried again. “You haven’t said anything about the ball. I’ve been dying to hear."

“It was a very nice ball.” Iris said.

“And?” Cecile urged her.

“And…… They have far too much food!”

“And?”

“And…… The orchestra was very talented.”

“And the Prince?”

“Oh, the Prince.” Iris whispered. She’d been avoiding the subject.

“Yes, the Prince!” Cecile insisted.

“Well, he’s tall.” Iris said, truthfully.

“Did you dance? Is he charming as they say?”

“I only danced two dances, both with the same man.” Iris reported, leaving out the detail that the man was the Prince.

“And him?” Cecile pried.

Iris’ heart swelled. “I’d never felt anything like being with him.”

Cecile sipped her drink and looked teasingly at Iris. “Mmmm.”

“I was so anxious when I’d first arrived. Breathless with a wild anticipation of adventure, excitement, and romance. I felt so out of place. I was seriously considering running home, when he asked me to dance.”

“Was he handsome?”

Iris giggled. “Really handsome.”

“I need details!”

“He was tall, very tall. His eyes a mixture of emerald green and soft blue. He was slim but in shape. His hair was dark and wavy. He looked good in his red suit.”

“Red? Bold choice.”

“The Palace was so extravagant, making me feel so humble in comparison. I didn’t recognize a face in the crowd of people. It was scary. But, when I was with him, he made me feel like... I was home.”

Cecile looked on Iris in awe, hanging onto her every word.

“That sounds silly, doesn’t it?” Iris asked.

Cecile put her hand on Iris’ shoulder. “That sounds like love.”

Iris felt embarrassed. She leaned over the bar to hug Cecile.

“Thank you for talking to me. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to tell someone about him until I started. Now, I don’t want to stop.”

“Of course.” Cecile said. “You can always talk to me.”

“I’m lucky to have someone like you in my life.” Iris said appreciatively.

“Iris, I know it may sound strange. Forgive me if I’m overstepping my bounds, but I feel a maternal connection to you. I don’t get to see my daughter as often as I like, so I take extra enjoyment out of spending time with you.”

Iris was touched. She had long looked up to Cecile as a maternal figure, since she lost her own mother at such a young age. “That means so much to me. I don’t remember much about her, but my father tells me how beautiful and kind she was. It reminds me of you.”

The women embraced again.

“I never knew your mother, but I think she would be proud of you. Any mother would.” Cecile said.

A tear escaped Iris’ eye. “Thank you.”

“And any mother would want you to be happy. To find true love and have your happily ever after.”


	8. Chapter 8

The second time a maiden whom the slipper fit came to the Palace, the Prince was just as-if not more-excited than the first time. There was no doubt in his mind that the girl he fell in love with at the ball would be standing behind the door, waiting to make his heart flutter just as it had the moment he first laid eyes on her.

But, the Prince was disappointed yet again. It was not her.

The third time a maiden whom the slipper fit came to the Palace, the Prince was skeptical. He didn’t get his hopes up, because the sunken feeling he’d be left with after the previous failures was horrible. His skepticism was wise, because it was not her. Barry cursed the commonality of the size seven foot.

The fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth times were no different. The ninth time, the Prince, Captain, and Royal guard made the grotesque realization that the only reason the maiden fit the slipper was because she’d sawed off the back of her heel. She was taken to the Royal hospital and initially considered crazy, until she sparked a trend. The thirteenth maiden who fit the slipper had cut off several toes to squeeze her foot into it.

“This is getting a little ridiculous.” Earl H.R. said one evening.

“GETTING? A LITTLE?” Grand Duke Wells scoffed. “We are far past that.”

Prince Barry, who’d just finished martial arts training with Jesse, wiped the sweat off his brow and tried not to listen.

“How far past ridiculous? Are we in ludicrous territory?” H.R. asked.

Duke Wells turned to H.R. and looked at him with contempt. “Shut up.”

“Oh, so we’re in _shut up this is not a time for jokes_ territory. Got it.” Mumbled H.R.

“Your Highness, you must put a stop to this madness at once.” The Duke insisted.

Prince Barry threw down his towel in frustration. “I haven’t found her yet!”

“How many more girls are going to mutilate themselves until you do?”

“Next, some lass will chop off her whole foot and build a robot one to perfectly fit.” Jesse joked.

Duke Wells held up his hand in attempt to silence her. It only made Jesse roll her eyes.

“I’m just saying, that would be kind of cool. She may not be the girl you met at the ball, but at least we’d know she’s resourceful.”

H.R. was the only one who laughed.

“I never wanted anyone to hurt themselves, never asked them to make the slipper fit by any means necessary. It was their choice to do it.” Barry said in his defense.

“Even so,” Duke Wells retorted. “This goose chase is causing hysteria. It makes the Monarchy look like bad.”

“Since when do you care about PR, Duke?”

“This isn’t about PR! Have you forgotten about the trade embargo Midway is threatening to place on our imports? Or the delicate situation in the far East where North and South Keystone are on the brink of peace for the first time in a century? But oh no, let’s focus our efforts on locating a girl who’s made it clear she doesn’t want to be found! That’s more important….. NOT!”

“Dad,” Jesse groaned. “Stop trying to make ‘not’ happen. It’s not going to happen.”

“But you just said it!” H.R. pointed out.

Barry couldn’t take it anymore. He stood up and marched towards the door as he explained, “I’m aware of the current events. I know how crucial it is for my focus to be on such matters. That is why I’m determined to find the girl. Until I do, my mind can’t concentrate on anything else. I need to know who she is, to be with her again. She had this way of calming, centering, focusing me. Like an anchor to keep me from floating away when I’m overwhelmed. Somehow she brought out the best in me, I’ll need that if I am to serve this Kingdom.”

“Like a lightning rod?” H.R. said. “A lightning rod to bring out your lightning.”

“Yes.” Barry said, satisfied by the anecdote. “Like that.”

Duke Wells opened his mouth to rebuttal. Before he could, Jesse chimed in.

“You agreed to thirty days of searching. There is still one more week left, in which His Highness could very well find the girl. Dad, one week won’t hurt anything. Let the guard finish the search. If they do not, the Prince will never be able to get over her. You don’t want him to be haunted by the one that got away….. literally.”

“Thank you, Jesse.” Prince Barry said. He was slightly taken aback by her sudden romanticism.

Jesse pointed her finger at him. “Don’t get any ideas. I’m becoming a romantic, I just want the search to finish so you’ll get your head out of the clouds and go back to being decent competition in training.”

Barry smirked.

Duke Wells rubbed his temples. “Fine. Finish the search. I’ll go speak with the Captain of the Guard.” He nodded to excuse himself and left.

Prince Barry didn’t like knowing that his time was running out, but he felt confident that there would still be enough time for his love to be found. He figured the Guard must be nearly finished with the search by now.

As soon as the Grand Duke stepped out of the room, he was face to face with Captain Singh.

“Grand Duke, just the man I was looking for.” Singh greeted. “We need to talk about the search for the girl from the ball.”

“I was looking for you as well, Captain. May we talk as we walk to the kitchen? I’m famished.”

“Sure thing, sir.”

Captain Singh and Duke Wells set off. When they were several feet away from the door and Wells was confident they were out of the Prince’s earshot, he spoke.

“How is the searching going?”

Captain Singh shook his head. “Awful.”

“Seen more amputations than you bargained for?” Duke Wells joked.

“More than my stomach could handle.” Singh admitted. “There is no way we’ll be able to finish the search in the thirty day time limit. We’ve been at it for three weeks and we’ve barely finished with the Northern Isles. That leaves a good two third of Kingdom to search. It will be Christmas by the time we’ve made it to every maiden in the Kingdom.”

“To have half the Royal Guard preoccupied with a shoe fitting for so long is-”

“A dire waste of resources.” Singh finished.

“My thoughts exactly.” Duke Wells said. “Thankfully, the Prince understands and is not wholly uncooperative. He will listen to some reason. That is why he’s agreed to keep the thirty day time limit. If the mystery girl is not found within the week, he says he’ll move on.”

Captain Singh looked surprised, but relieved. “Well, that’s a comfort to know. I know my men will share in my relief.”

“Tell them not to worry about this. It was never that important.”

 

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“If it isn’t the best barmaid South of the Jay Garrick monument.”

That smooth voice could only mean one thing. Iris turned around to see Scott Evans sitting down at the bar.

“Hello, Scott.” She said with a smile.

Scott was a traveling journalist. He wrote for one of the only, and the most respected, paper in town, South Side Print News. Scott made a name for himself all across the Kingdom for his talent when he exposed a crooked Parliament candidate a few years ago. His tall, dark, and handsome good looks didn’t hurt his popularity either.

Iris always admired him for his work and relentless pursuit of the truth. When he first came in Drunkards, she was a little star struck. She was excited to have the chance to talk to Scott about her love of writing and hope to be a reporter one day as well. However, her idol soon proved himself to be a pessimist, putting her off. Scott said it was impossible to do the work he does and be an optimist. Iris told him that nothing is impossible.

Scott kept coming back to Drunkards ever since. He’d say it was for the Brandy, but he’d always wink at Iris.

She poured Scott a glass of Brandy and slid it across the bar.

“You look tired.” Iris noticed. “Or, should I say, more tired than usual.”

Scott smiled. “I’ve just gotten back from a trip to Royal Landing.”

“What were you doing all the way out there?”

“Captain Singh of the Royal Guard made an announcement regarding the search for the girl from the ball. You know, the one the Prince is in love with?”

Iris smirked. “I’ve heard about her.”

“I don’t think a soul in the Kingdom hasn’t. She was the top story all month. Any mention of her would make the front page, no question. But, that’s over now. Soon she’ll be remembered as an old folktale of some kind.”

Iris didn’t understand what he meant by that. “Huh?”

“The search is over.” Scott informed her.

“Over?” Iris repeated.

Scott nodded in confirmation. “Over.”

Iris was dumbfounded. She believed that what she and Prince Barry shared was special enough to leave a lifelong impression. The determination with which he chased her that night and pursued her to come forward since made Iris feel like he would never give up on her.

“What? Wait- it’s- it’s over?” Iris tried to keep her voice even, sound casual. “How? Why? They didn’t find her, did they?”

“No, and it looks like they never will.”

“But they’ve only searched one small part of the Kingdom!” Iris protested. “Wasn’t it the Prince’s order that the Royal Guard have every eligible maiden in the Kingdom try on the slipper?”

“Apparently, a time constraint was agreed to. It must have been thirty days, because here we are on day thirty one, and the Palace is no longer interested in the mystery girl from the ball.”

Scott took a sip of his Brandy.

“The search may be over, but surely the Palace is still interested, right? I mean, if the girl were to turn up, they wouldn’t send her away, would they?” Iris asked, hoping Scott would have something reassuring to say.

Scott shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“The Prince, he must still be interested. After all, they said he loved m- her. Love isn’t something you can just forget about.”

“Why do you suddenly care?” Scott asked with raised brows. “I thought you hated talking about the ball and the Prince. You've change the subject every other time it’s been brought up.”

“I suppose this news is a little surprising to me, that’s all. I really thought the Prince would keep searching till he found her.”

Scott took a swig of Brandy before saying, “I suppose finding her isn’t as important to the government as it is to the Prince.”

“What do you mean?”

Scott smirked. He leaned over the bar, getting close to Iris. He whispered, “You didn’t hear this from me, but the speculation is that Grand Druke Wells and other members of the Royal House have been pressuring His Highness to call off the search.”

“But why?”

“It’s too expensive and uses too much man power. Parliament feels the Palace’s resources could be better spent elsewhere.”

Iris looked down at the floor. She mumbled, talking more to herself than Scott. “The Prince is quite selfless, dedicated to the wellbeing of the Kingdom. If he thought the search was harmful, he’d likely call it off even if he didn’t want to.”

“That’s the popular opinion.” Scott told her. “He wouldn’t want any more ladies severing their toes to fit the slipper.”

Iris scrunched up her face in disgust. “Eww! Someone did that?”

“Several someones.” Scott said.

Iris shivered. “And they say the South Side is weird.”

Scott laughed. He pulled a few coins out of his wallet and placed them on the bar.

“Thanks, Iris. It’s always nice talking to you, but I better be off.”

“No problem. Thanks for filling me in.” Iris said.

“I have to keep the Kingdom’s best amateur reporter up to date.”

Iris smiled, a little embarrassed.

“Anything else an amateur reporter might need to know?” She asked.

“It’s going to rain this weekend.” Scott joked. “Oh, and word is, the Prince is still desperately in love with the girl. Staring out windows, head in the clouds. She’s what he’s always thinking about.”

“Really?” Iris gasped.

Scott put on his coat. “She must have been some girl.”

Iris watched Scott absentmindedly as he left the tavern. She was thinking about Barry and wondering if Scott was right, that he was still thinking about her. The plan was to wait until the Royal Guard came to her and requested she try on the slipper. But, now that was never going to happen. The fantasy of her being whisked away to the Palace and running into Barry’s arms, rejoicing in their reunion with a kiss, that Iris had played over and over in her mind now made her feel foolish. Of course, that was never going to happen.

Iris thought it might be best if she pretended the night of the ball never happened, just as she was going to do before finding out Barry was looking for her. But, the thought of not seeing Barry again made her feel physically ill. She wanted to be with him again, even just once, even just for a minute. If he wasn’t interested in her anymore, she’d accept that. But, Iris was very much still interested in him and she had to try. Cecile had advised her to find her happily ever after, and that was advice Iris was going to take.


	9. Chapter 9

If there were ever an ideal time for a green cloaked archer to steal from the rich and give to the poor in Starling Kingdom, Prince Barry supposed that time was now. It meant that King Robert of Starling Kingdom and Captain of Starling Kingdom’s Royal Guard, Quentin Lance would be arriving at the Palace to discuss security measures with King Henry in the interesting of keeping their allied nations safe.

The important diplomacy forced Barry to move on with his life and think about important matters, rather than wallowing in despair at his lost true love. He prepared for the meeting by researching the vigilante, whom the Prince found he harbored an unconstitutional admiration for. An admiration he was certain should be kept to himself, as it would not be shared by Captain Lance.

Prince Barry anticipated a rousing debate about how best to handle the situation and avoid any potential copycats appearing in his Kingdom. Barry stood at his father’s side as King Robert and Captain Lance entered the Palace. The sounds of trumpets were almost drown out by the announcer’s booming voice introducing them. Barry was about to step forward and greet them, when, to his shock, the announcer said another name.

“Lady Lucinda of Starling Kingdom”

Behind the imposing figures of the King and Captain, the elegant young woman approached. Prince Barry’s mouth fell open as she lowered herself in a curtsey.

“It’s an honor to return to the Palace, Your Majesty.” Lady Lucinda said to the King. “Thank you for the unexpected but welcome invitation.”

Prince Barry looked at his father, who was grining a little too wide.

“We are honored to have you back, Lady Lucinda. You made too good of a first impression to not invite back.”

“Your praise flatters me, Your Majesty.” Lady Lucinda replied. She then looked to Barry, her eyes studying him. “I must admit, your son made quite the first impression on me.”

Barry felt his face flush and palms sweat. He felt so vulnerable under her gaze. Somehow stupefied into an even more awkward mess of a man. Now, he understood why Lady Lucinda tagged along. His father’s invitation had nothing to do with policing. Barry tried to catch the King’s eye, but Henry made himself busy greeting King Robert.

Lady Lucinda moved closer to Barry. Her rosy scent pulled him in.

“Your Highness, I remember from our first meeting that you were speechless due to anxiety. Now, you’re speechless again, but I think this time it’s out of surprise. You look at me like I’m a ghost. Were you unaware that I was coming?”

Barry nodded. “I assume that’s how my father wanted it.”

“So, you did not wish to see me again?” Lucinda asked.

“No- I mean, yes. I mean- ummm- No and yes.” Barry spluttered. He cleared his throat and began again. “I did not know I’d be seeing you today, but I am happy to see you.”

Lucinda smiled shyly at the floor. Barry watched her reflection smile back at her.

“I question if you’ll believe me when I tell you that at the ball, I was so taken by you. My father made me attend, hoping we’d hit it off, but I was skeptical. I thought you’d be cold, surly. But, you’re charm, kindness, and genuine affection changed my mind. I spent the rest of the night thinking about you, hoping you’d want to dance with me again.”

Barry gulped. He felt guilty having forgotten about Lady Lucinda after he’d met the mystery girl at the ball.

“I understand you were busy that night.” Lucinda continued. “I told myself that you would write to me, if you liked me. I was about to give up on the hope when the letter requesting I come to your Palace was deliver.”

Barry sighed. “Forgive me, please. Meeting you at the ball was wonderful. Dance after dance, I was thinking about you as well. I had every intention of dancing with you again, and seeing you the next day, and the day after that. I planned on not needing to write to you, because I was going to ask if you’d stay here.”

The Prince recalled how close he was to moving forward in a relationship with her. Lady Lucinda was the first girl Barry could picture himself with.

In a small voice, Lucinda said, “I would have said yes if you’d asked. Why didn’t you?”

“Please, do not be offended that I didn’t get the chance to. It had nothing to do with you. You’re amazing. I was just preoccupied with-”

“With finding the girl who made you forget about me?” Lucinda finished his sentence.

The honest answer was yes. It was too painful for Barry to confess aloud. His resigned face said it for him.

“You fell in love with her, didn’t you?”

“I did.” Barry whispered.

There was a tense pause. Barry could hear Lucinda’s shallow breaths, giving away her emotions that her stoic expression hid.

“I’m over that now.” The Prince said.

Lucinda tilted her head, unconvinced.

“Truly, I am.” Barry pleaded. “She made it clear that she didn’t want to stay me. I should have given up on her then and there. I was stupid, because I ignored the beautiful, witty, graceful woman who would have.”

Out of the corner of his eye, the Prince noticed his father’s failure of a subtle glance. Barry hoped his conversation with Lucinda was not being overheard.

He took Lucinda’s hand. “Will you walk with me, Lady Lucinda?”

Lucinda, softening and smiling again, said, “I’d be happy to.”

The Prince escorted her out of the entry hall and through the Palace. For the first time since the mystery girl ran away, he didn’t feel hollow. Being with Lucinda made him happy.

“Where are we going?” Lucinda asked.

Barry smirked. He nodded at two doormen posted on either side of the massive, gold trimmed doors to the ballroom, prompting them to open the doors.

“To have our second dance.” Barry answered.

Lucinda gasped as Barry whisked her across the empty ballroom floor. There was no orchestra playing, but the sounds of Lucinda’s giggles as he twirled her around were music enough for Barry.

“You look beautiful.” Barry complimented.

Lucinda, being coy, said, “Well, I was traveling abroad to meet with this Prince who I thought was expecting me. I kind of wanted to impress him.”

“I think I can speak for that Prince and say that even though he wasn’t expecting you, he’s super impressed.”

At the end of the dance, Barry dipped Lucinda. When she stood up again, she and the Prince were closest they’d ever been. Chest to chest, nose to nose. It made Barry’s heart race. He wanted to kiss her, but talked himself out of it, afraid he would seem to forward.

Lucinda closed her eyes. Slowly, she leaned in, and closed what little space there was between them. Her lips met Barry’s for a brief, but breathtaking kiss.

Barry couldn’t help but blush. “What was that for?”

“To see if I wanted a third dance.” Lucinda told him.

“And?”

Lucinda licked her lips. “Let me see one more time.”

She kissed Barry again. This time, he kissed her back. When she tried to move away, end the kiss as quickly as the first, Barry’s lips chased her, needing to feel her for just one more second.

“Definitely.” Lucinda answered.

Barry smiled. He offered her his arm. “Then, shall we, Lady Lucinda?”

“Oh, I prefer to be called Linda.”

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Iris admired the glow of the town’s lanterns as she walked home from Drunkards. It was a dark, but warm night. She was in good spirits. Several customers had given her generous tips that night. Iris was saving her tips to buy a dress for herself, so she could go to the Palace and reunite with Barry.

It had been a few days since Scott informed her that the search for the girl from the ball had been called off. Iris was glad to have found out from Scott, because the next day a Royal announcer came to Drunkards to loudly let everyone know. Iris was afraid it would’ve blindsided her and left her in tears if she wasn’t prepared for it. She was also comforted by the knowledge that the search was not ending because the Prince was no longer seeking her, but because of political pressure.

Iris was once again daydreaming about going to the Palace and seeing Barry. Though initially disappointed she wouldn’t get to try on the slipper, she’s decided that this way would be all the more romantic. She’d get to surprise Barry when she showed up at the Palace. Iris imagined the look of his stunned but happy face as he ran towards her, swept her off her feet, and kissed her. It made her whole body tingle.

A loud crash interrupted Iris’ fantasy. It came from the alleyway just ahead of her. The alley lead to a carriage garage and horse stable.

Iris positioned her keys in between her fingers, ready to use them as a weapon if she needed to. As she passed the alley, she heard a voice she recognized.

“How are you going to drive all these carriages out of here anyway?”

It was Jax. He ran the carriage dealership.

Iris tiptoed into the alley, closer to the source of the noise.

A cold voice laughed. “Do I look like a rookie to you? I made a plan. I love this game and I’m very good at it.

Iris recognized that voice too. It was Leonard Snart, Lisa’s brother, who proudly followed the family tradition of crime. If he was around, Jax was in trouble.

The sound of doors slamming made Iris jump, but she kept walking down the alley.

“Now I know why everyone complains about carriage salesman.” A third voice said. Iris could practically hear the sneer she knew Lisa Snart was making.

When Iris got to the end of the alley, she ducked behind a few garbage bins to stay hidden. She peered through the space in between them and saw the Snart siblings, infamous arsonist Mick Rory, and Rosa Dillon all cornering Jax in his garage.

Jax picked up a lead pipe and swung it around threateningly. “Everybody better back up! You hear me?”

Rosa and Rory laughed. All of the predators continued zoning in on their prey, unphased by Jax’s intimidation tactic.

Iris had to think fast if she ever wanted to see Jax again. She spun around, trying to see if there was anything she could use to help. Shifting through the garbage, she found two horseshoes and a piece of hollow plastic tubing.

Iris stamped the horseshoes on the ground, gradually increasing the intensity. It gave the illusion that horses were coming. The sound successfully distracted the gang of criminals. Jax seized the opportunity. He jumped on a horse and galloped away.

“Hey!” Lisa called. “He’s getting away.”

Lisa, Leonard, Rosa, and Rory got on horses harnessed to carriages. They were about to purse Jax, when Iris raised the hollow tube to her mouth and spoke into it.

“HALT! IN THE NAME OF THE KING, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!”

The tube amplified Iris’ voice. Her words echoed off the walls. The gang believed they’d been caught by the Royal guards. Immediately, they sped off in the opposite direction.

When Iris was confident they were long gone, she came out of hiding. She went into the garage and inspected it. The gang had stolen all of the carriages. One lonely horse remained, apparently unbothered by the comotion. Iris fed him a carrot before finishing her walk home.

Iris thought that was all the excitement the night had in store. But, when she got home, her dad and Wally were celebrating.

“I’m so happy for you, son!” Joe said, wrapping a Wally-who was bouncing up and down-in a hug.

“Careful, dad. You’ll suffocate him.” Iris warned.

Joe stuck out one arm. “Get in one this.”

Iris joined the hug. She noticed that Wally was holding a letter written on fine stationery.

“What’s that?” She asked.

Wally waved the letter. “This? This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a letter from Lady McGee, the scientist!” Joe excitedly blurted out.

“Dad!” Wally said annoyed. “You stole my thunder.”

“Sorry, son. I’m just so proud.”

Iris was delighted. “Lady McGee wrote to you?!”

Wally nodded like a bobble head. “She wants me to be part of a project she’s working on with other engineers.”

“Wally, that’s fantastic! What a great opportunity!”

Iris pulled her brother in for another hug. He must have really been in a good mood, because he didn’t fight it like he usually would.

There was a knock on the door.

“You may only come in if you’re ready to party!” Joe joked.

Iris couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her dad this happy.

Cecile poked her head through the door. “I didn’t think you knew the definition of the word party, Joe West.”

Joe laughed. “Hi Cecile. Come on in.”

“I heard yelling and wanted to drop by to make sure everything’s alright.” Cecile explained.

“Everything is better than alright.” Wally assured her. “Better than it’s ever been. I got a letter from Lady Tina McGee, asking me to be part of an engineering project!”

Cecile’s jaw dropped. “Congratulations!”

“I’m so excited!”

Iris wanted to know more details. “When do you start?” She asked.

“Next Friday.”

“Where will you be working?”

Wally’s face fell. The realization that he’d have to travel to Lady McGee’s laboratory brought down the euphoria in the room.

Cecile put her hand on Wally’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about transport. You can borrow my carriage.”

“You mean it?” Wally asked in awe.

“Of course, I insist. After all, I let your sister borrow it, so it’s only fair I let you borrow it as well.”

Wally hugged Cecile, who was a little taken aback but hugged him tightly anyway.

“Cecile Horton, you are the greatest.” Joe said.

“You are.” Iris agreed. “Thank you for lending us your carriage again, especially after I got it all muddy.”

“Oh, you know I can’t stay mad you, Wests. I love you too much.”

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Lady Lucinda stayed much longer than the guests she’d arrived with. Over the next fortnight, she and Prince Barry spent a great deal of time together. They learned a lot about one another and were becoming quite close.

Barry was happy to learn Linda has a passion, and notable talent, for cooking. Her skills were impressive enough to have the Palace’s head chef asking her for recipes. Linda prepared several dishes that wowed the Royal family-and tested Barry’s boasting of being able to handle the spiciest of peppers.

The Queen, in defiance of her doctor’s orders, always demanded she be brought up Linda’s cooking. Barry supposed it was his mother’s way of welcoming Linda, since she was too ill to get out of bed, dress up, and properly meet with Linda. Queen Nora was known around the world for her strength and fortitude. It was a major insecurity of hers to now be bedridden. She bared all visitors from her room, save her husband and son. Once, she told Barry, the thought of having someone see her, helplessly deteriorating, and pitying her, scared her more than death itself.

Linda also had a passion for sports. Hoping to share it with her the only way he could, Barry took Linda to the Palace’s bowling alley. He’d been surprised to learn that Linda had never played before.

“Is bowling not popular in Starling Kingdom?” The Prince asked.

Linda laughed. “I don’t believe bowling is popular anywhere.”

Barry nudged her arm playfully with his bowling ball. It was his turn to roll. He surveyed the pins with intense concentration, whispering a strategy to himself. Then, knelt and threw his ball. It rolled, perfectly centered, down the aisle, striking down every pin.

“Yes!” Barry cheered, throwing his arms up in the air.

Linda clapped. “Bravo. I never would have pegged you as someone who likes to bowl.”

“Oh, this is one of my favorite places in the world!” Barry told her. “And, I’m guessing one of the only sports that I can destroy you at.”

Linda scoffed in mock offense. “You think so, Your Highness?” She strutted over to Barry, standing straight as she could to try and match his height.

“I’m pretty sure, my lady.”

Linda swayed slightly and batted her eyes at him.

Barry put his hand on her back, gently pushing her closer. He kissed her, smiling against her sweet lips. Linda turn her head o the side, giving them a better angle. Barry was about to follow her hint and deepen their kiss, when they were interrupted.

“Lady Lucinda, I was under the impression you are from Starling Kingdom, not France.”

The sound of King Henry’s voice was like a bucket of ice water on the couple. They broke apart, both blushing. Linda hid her grin with her hand.

“My apologies for intruding, it brings me great happiness to see you two growing so fond of each other. I heard the pins clattering and thought I’d come down to challenge my son’s cockiness.” Henry held up a hand beside his mouth, blocking it from Barry’s view, but not his ears, and said, “I’ve been beating him since he was a kid.”

Barry rolled his eyes. “My game has significantly improved since I was 10.”

“Perhaps so,” His father acknowledged as he picked up a ball. “But, there’s more than one reason they call me the King.” He walked to the lane nonchalantly, closed his eyes, and the threw ball. It was a strike.

“Wow!” Linda gasped. “Now I know I really need to improve if I’m to stand a chance here.”

Barry put his arm around her. “I’ll be happy to coach you anytime.”

“Thank you, Barry.” Linda purred.

“Lady Lucinda,” An unfamiliar voice called.

Barry, Linda, and the King all turned to see a messenger in the doorway.

“A letter from your parents.” The messenger said.

“If you’ll excuse me.” Linda curtsey and left the room.

Barry’s eyes linger on her until the doors closed, cutting off his view. When he looked back at his father, he saw the King smirking.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

King Henry put up his hands in surrender. “I’m just happy for you.”

The Prince rubbed his neck. He was happy too. Linda was a lovely woman. Each minute of the time they’d shared was enjoyable. She challenged Barry, pushed him out of his comfort zone, but never made him anxious. They could hold conversations about everything from politics to storybooks. Linda had tagged along to several of Barry’s Royal duties, she had a knack for charming everyone she met. She was the picture perfect woman for Barry to rule with as Queen.

But, Barry wasn’t in love with Linda. He was in love with the maiden from the ball.

Before bed each night, Barry held the glass slipper and prayed that somehow, fate would reunite him with his beloved. The longing to be with her gnawed at him. Linda was like a bandaid on his wound, distracting him from the gaping emptiness just below the surface.

Barry knew it was useless to keep dreaming about the mystery girl. He was only torturing himself with a fantasy he could never have, but he couldn’t help it. She’d stolen his heart, making it difficult for Barry go on as if he still had it and was ready to give it to Linda.

“I suspect the letter from the Duke and Duchess is inquiring when Lady Lucinda will be returning home.” King Henry said. “Or, _if_ she will be returning.”

The Prince’s stomach flipped. He knew his courtship with Linda would need to progress eventually. If their parents had anything to say about it, that progress would come sooner rather than later. Barry wondered if Linda wanted them to take the next step. Traditionally, the man brought up the topic of marriage and the couple would discuss a timeline. For royalty, the timeline was often short.

Barry hadn’t said anything about marriage. Come to think of it, he’d yet to officially ask Linda to court. Panic washed over Barry. He hoped Linda wasn’t growing impatient with him.

“Son,” King Henry said sternly. “Is your relationship with Lady Lucinda heading in the direction of marriage?”

Barry swallowed. He’d only considered marrying Linda from a practical perspective, how she was well suited to be his Queen. Yes, they got along. They could be content together. But, Barry couldn’t picture his life, his real life, with Linda. Early mornings laying in bed, going for walks together, birthdays, Christmases, all the little moments that truly made life worth living, Barry could only envision with the girl from the ball.

Henry put his hand on Barry shoulder. “Are you alright, Barry?”

“I like Linda, very much so. I know that we are compatible in every way that matters. On paper, it’s like we were made for each other. And I’m angry with myself for not allowing me to fully commit to this perfect girl. I’ve still been thinking about the girl from the ball. No matter how hard I try, I can’t forget about her.” Barry’s voice cracked. He started to get emotional. “But, she’s gone. I lost her. If I don’t accept that and move on I’ll lose Linda too. That won’t be fair to her, or the Kingdom.”

Henry hugged his tearful son. “I know the burdens of being Heir to the throne are heavy. I know what you’ve given up. Every decision you’ve made in your 26 years of life have been because of your Royal duties. What you studied, why you endure diplomatic meeting after meeting, even with women. I know how your greatest desire has always been to find love. But, until the girl from the ball, you never pursed anyone, because you were too consumed with the burdens your birth bestowed on you to have a life. Well let it go now, Barry. Hear me now.”

Barry wiped away his tears.

“The duties of Royalty have taken enough from us already. Don’t let it take anymore.”

Barry nodded. His father was right.

“I don’t want it to take anymore.” Prince Barry said firmly. “That’s why I want to throw another ball.”

King Henry blinked in surprise. “Another ball?”

“To formally announce my courtship with Lady Lucinda.” Barry explained. “I want everyone to know how happy she makes me and that I’m serious about my relationship with her. So, I won’t lose her. I’ll fix my mistake from the past by giving Linda the attention she deserved. If I hadn’t been forced to meet with every noble maiden in attendance, I would have never stopped dancing with Linda.”

King Henry smiled. “I remember you saying you’d taken a liking to her that night.”

“I’d like the ball to happen as soon as possible.” Barry said.

“Well then, I’ll schedule it for next Friday.”


	10. Chapter 10

“Hey, Iris.” Jax sighed as he plopped down on a seat at the bar. “Man, do I need a drink.”

“I heard you had a rough night last night.” Iris said as she poured him a glass of whiskey.

“Leonard Snart, his sister, and their bastard friends were at it again. They’re rouge citizens. They stole every carriage I was repairing in my garage. My customers are furious.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. But, the important thing is you’re alright.” Iris reminded him.

Jax squinted in concentration. “Yeah, it was strange. The gang ran for it when they heard the Royal Guard coming, but when I went to officially report the robbery this morning, the Guard said they have no record of any guards responding to a break in at my garage. They said no guards were even in the area.”

Iris smiled to herself. “Well, I suppose your guardian angel was looking out for you.”

Jax raised his glass. “Cheers to that.” He took a big swig.

Iris turned away from the bar to clean some dishes. She looked back when Jax said, “Oh no, not this guy again!”

An announcer from the Palace had entered the tavern. He stood proudly in the center of the room and cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.

Jax covered his ears. Iris however, leaned over the bar, wondering what he’d come to announce.

“Ladies and gentleman of the South side of Central Kingdom,”

Heads turned as the announcer’s voice bellowed.

“I come bearing good news. His Majesty, King Henry, has declared that the royal Palace will host a ball at the Palace next Friday. During the night’s festivities, His Majesty will make an announcement.”

Whispers filled the air as people speculated about what the King’s announcement could be.

Jax scoffed. “An announcement that there will be an announcement, how ridiculous!” He looked back to Iris.

She was looking down at the wooden bar, eyes shifting out of focus as they glided across the grain. She thought for a moment that she was dreaming, or hallucinating from exhaustion after another long shift. It sounded like there was going to be another ball. But, it would be held on…..

“What date did he say?” Iris asked Jax.

“Next Friday.”

Iris’ heart sank. That was the same day Wally would be borrowing Cecile’s carriage and going to Lady McGee laboratory. She couldn’t ask Wally not to go, this was his dream. But, without Cecile’s carriage, getting to the Palace would be impossible. There was no way Iris would be able to travel such a distance on foot and she couldn’t afford to rent a carriage. She’d barely scraped up enough for a low end dress.

What pained Iris the most, was thinking how Prince Barry probably asked his father to throw this ball so she would come and they could reunite. In her frustration, Iris slammed a tray of dirty glasses down on the counter so forcefully, one fell and broke on the floor.

“Damn.” Iris cursed under her breath. She went to get the broom, but the owner of Drunkards, Mason Bridge, blocked the entryway to the kitchen. Arms folded and teeth grinding, Iris knew the look meant she was in trouble.

“West,” He angrily wheezed. “What the hell was that?”

“I dropped a glass.” Iris explained. “I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up right now.” She tried to maneuver around Mason, but he held out his arm, halting her.

“That’s not what I saw from the kitchen window. I saw you carelessly dump a tray of glasses on the counter instead of setting them down gently in the sink, like you’re supposed to.”

“I’m sorry.” Iris apologized again. “I was just-”

Mason cut her off. “You were just FIRED. Get out of here.”

Iris flinched. “What?”

“You’re fired.” Mason repeated.

“Wha- But, but,” Iris stuttered. “I- I’ve worked here for years. I’m a reliable employee. The customer’s like me.”

“The customer’s don’t give a damn who’s behind the bar so long as they pour the drinks. If you were under the impression that you’re irreplaceable, you were sadly mistaken. Now, go.”

“You can’t fire me!” Iris protested. “I need this job. Please, give me a second chance.”

“Second chances are important people. You, West, are not important.”

Iris began to cry. Normally, she’d feel embarrassed, but her pride had already been obliterated. “Please, I don’t have any money. I need to work.”

“Fine, work, just not here.” Mason said. He waved his hand, shooing Iris off like a fly.

“Mr. Bridge, please!”

“Would you go already. People come here and drink to forget their desperation. They don’t need the stink of yours.”

Iris yanked off her apron, shoved it at Mason, and stormed out of Drunkards.

Her tears kept falling, but she done being sad. She was angry. All that time she’d spent working for Drunkards, never calling out ill, always punctual, and Mason has the audacity to fire her. It was salt in her wound. The tiny sliver of hope there was that she’d be able to go to the Palace for the ball was if, by some miracle, a customer left her a hefty tip. But now, even that one in a million chance was taken from her.

“AAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” Iris screamed into the night. She stamped her feet in frustration before collapsing in the cloud of dirt she’d kicked up. Her chest heaved as she cried quietly into the fabric of her skirt. She was pathetic and she knew it.

Iris threw her hands up. “HELLO, I DON’T KNOW IF YOU’RE STILL OUT THERE, WEIRD PEOPLE WHO JUST APPEAR, BUT I NEED YOU TERRIBLY RIGHT NOW!” She called to no one.

Iris laughed at herself. She was a fool for thinking she could pull herself out of her miserable little world, a fool for her romanticism. A poor girl from the South side like her had nothing to offer. She’d die a poor spinster slaving away at some other dead end job. Iris sobbed. Facing that reality tonight was scarier than hiding feet away from Leonard Snart the night before.

Then, Iris got an idea. She paused her self-pity to think. Leonard and Lisa Snart, Mick Rory, and Rosa Dillon were all wanted criminals. She caught them stealing carriages last night. If she told her dad or one of the Royal Guards about what she saw, it would lead to their arrest.

It was a bad idea. Desperate times call for desperate measures, Iris told herself. Snart had carriages to spare and a good motivation to get on Iris’ good side.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Prince Barry walked down the stairs to the Palace kitchen two at a time. He smiled with relief when he saw Linda.

“There you are, Linda. I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I would like to ask you something.”

Linda barely acknowledged Barry. She kept her focus on her cooking. She was stewing a pot of vegetables and mixing a delicious smelling sauce in a pan. Barry glanced around and realized the kitchen was filled with freshly prepared food, enough to feed the Royal army.

“Are you having a dinner party?” Barry joked.

Linda didn’t look up at him, but said, “Cooking helps me to relax.”

The Prince was at first confused, but then realized the tension in Linda’s body as she stood over the stove.

“Why do you need to relax?”

Linda turned off the boiler, put a lid on the pot of vegetables, and finally looked at Barry, exasperated. “Because finding out the man I believed to be my suitor is arranging another ball in the hopes of his long lost love returning makes me feel on edge.” She brushed by the Prince swiftly, moving to the island to chop garlic.

Barry deflated. If he were being truthful, yes, a part of him was hanging onto the fantasy that the mystery girl would return to the Palace for this ball. It was only a small fraction of him though. His rational mind knew it would not happen and that was the main reason for the ball. Barry was genuinely interested in moving forward in his relationship with Linda.

It was after a solid minute of silence that Barry registered how is lack of denial made the situation worse. He quickly spoke up.

“Linda, that’s not why I asked my father to hold the ball. I wouldn’t do that to you. I’m not that kind of guy.”

Linda chopped the last bit of garlic. She folded her arms and stared down Barry. “Well, let me tell you what kind of girl I am. I was born into a position that mean I am forced to spend a great deal of time associating with narrow, stuffy people I would have been perfectly happy to have never endured a conversation with. Therefore, I’m picky about whom I chose to spend my free time with.”

The lady’s plight was all too relatable for Barry.

“I chose to spend some of it with you.” Linda sighed. “So, tell me, Your Highness, did I make the right choice?”

“Yes, you did! ” Barry exhorted. “I understand, probably more than anyone, what it’s like to have to spend your time trying to make small talk with people who don’t interest you, and who you know would never be caught dead talking to you if it weren’t for your title. I understand what it’s like to be desperate to find someone who isn’t draining to spend time with. That’s one of the many reasons I enjoy spending time with you!”

Linda softened. She took a step towards Barry, who still felt uneasy. The way Linda was looking at him was almost pitying.

“I’m not angry, Barry, I swear.” Linda said in a honeyed voice. “But, I do think that we should call it.”

“W-Wh- Wait, can we talk about this? What do you mean?”

“Look, I know how difficult and awkward it is to pursue someone new when you’re still not over someone.”

Barry held Linda’s hands. “I am over the girl from the ball.” He said it with such conviction it was believable. Barry may have even believed it himself. “I proposed Friday’s ball because I wanted to announce our relationship to the Kingdom.”

Linda was stunned.

“I- I was looking for you all over the Palace grounds because I wanted to ask you if umm- If you would like to ummm- Take our relationship to that uh- Next stage.”

Linda’s eyes darted back and forth. She looked conflicted. “Barry, I gave you an out.”

“I don’t want an out.” He said firmly.

“I don’t want to court someone who’s pining for someone else.”

“I’m not pining for anyone else. Linda, you are the only one I want to pursue.” The Prince insisted. “I will prove it to you.”

Barry dropped Linda’s hands abruptly and went to the pantry. He knocked over things as he carelessly searched the shelves for a specific food. Linda had complied that the Palace lacked the wide array of spices and seasonings she was accustomed to back home. To surprise her, Barry had the chef order a peppers. When he found the container of peppers, he grabbed one and showed it to Linda.

“This is the Bhut jolokia, or the ‘ghost pepper’. It is the world’s hottest pepper, measuring 401.5 times hotter than tabasco sauce.” Barry explained. “If you do not agree to attend the ball as my guest of honor, I will eat it. Right here, right now.”

The concern on Linda’s face morphed into humor. “You’re bluffing.” She accused.

“I never bluff.”

Barry bit off half the pepper. At first, it wasn’t unbearable. But, the pepper soon scorched his tongue. It took all of Barry’s resilience to maintain his dignified, determined stare at Linda.

“Are you ok?” She asked.

“I’m fine, yes.” lied Barry.

“Are you sure?”

“Mmm hmm.” He hummed. But, it was no use. Barry couldn’t handle to pepper’s sting any longer. He spat it up on the floor.

Linda lurched back to avoid having the partially chewed pepper hit her shoes.

“Yes, yes.” She shrieked. “I’ll go the ball with you.” She ran to the refrigerator and grabbed a carton of milk for Barry. “That pepper could have killed you, you nerd.”

Barry guzzled down the entire carton. “Mmm, thank you.” He grunted.

Linda giggled. “My Prince and spice champion.”

The pleasant burn of her kiss helped Barry forget about the painful burn of the pepper.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Iris found Leonard Snart at a bar much sleazier looking than Dunkards. It was empty except for Snart and the barmaid, who’s cigarette smoke floated through the room, giving the impression it was filled ghosts.

Iris took a deep breath for confidence, but grew to regret it when the smoke choked her.

Hearing her cough, Snart turned to from the bar to look at Iris.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the daughter of old man West. I think you’re in the wrong bar. Come to check out the competition?”

Iris stood tall, not allowing herself to get intimidated. “I have business proposal for you.”

“Really?” Snart drawled. His sneer was identical to his sister’s. “I don’t think a girl the poorest family in the Kingdom has a good grasp on business. I’ll pass.”

“I have a problem you can help me with.” Iris told him.

“You must be pretty desperate to come asking for my assistance, but I’ll bite. What do you need?”

“A carriage.”

Snart laughed. “A carriage?”

“Yes.” Iris took a seat next to him and whispered, “I happened to know you came into possession of quite a few very recently.”

Snart’s eyes narrowed. He looked Iris up and down. “What are you implying?”

“I saw you and your gang in Jax’s garage the other night. You rode off with every carriage he had.”

“Careful, West.” Snart warned. “If you say you see crazy things like that, well, you might end up unable to see at all.”

Iris was expecting a threat and came prepared. Without breaking eye contact with Snart, she pulled a few sheets of parchment out of her pocket and slapped them down on the bar.

“You won’t be able to blind everyone who sees this.”

It was an article Iris wrote up, detailing the crime. Snart looked over the paper. He had a commendable poker face, but Iris caught a flicker of worry in his eyes.

“Once there’s a witness confirming Jax’s story of the robbery and everyone’s read about it, there won’t be a bar in the Kingdom you can hide in.”

“Cold.” Snart said. “Not bad, for your first time blackmailing someone, but you really shouldn’t have given me this sneak preview. There’s nothing stopping me from icing you and having my friend burn this to ash.”

“I have a journalist friend who would just love to publish this story in South Side Print News.” Iris informed Snart. “I already sent him a copy, as well a few other journalists I know, just in case this one mysterious catches fire.”

It was a bluff. Iris had more copies of the article, but they were all in her bedroom. She couldn’t send this to Scott or any journalist and expect them not to publish it right away.

“You’ve already been taken in by the Royal Guards several times, haven’t you? I’m sure they’re losing patients with you, Leonard, and you know what happens when they lose patients.” Iris said menacingly.

To her shock, Snart’s lips curled into a sinister smile. “Alright West, you got me.” He conceded. “So, why the need for a carriage?”

“I need to go to the ball at the Palace on Friday.”

“You’re blackmailing me so you can go a ball?” Snart questioned.

“I love a good party.”

“If I’m your coachman you’ll hand over every copy of this article?”

“Simple as that.” Iris confirmed.

Snart huffed. “You sure you don’t want to throw in a pretty dress too?”

“As a matter of fact,”


	11. Chapter 11

Iris paced anxiously around the empty living room. Her sweaty palms twisting, her mind racing. Wally had left early that morning to go to Lady McGee’s laboratory. Her dad had gone into the main part of town, patrolling for criminals. If only he knew that one of the Kingdom’s most notorious criminals would be arriving at his home any minute.

Joe West raised a strong and confident young woman. Iris knew self defense. But, she’d be lying if she claimed to not be even the tiniest bit frightened by the prospect of riding in a carriage with Leonard Snart, alone, down empty pathways through unpopulated areas, at night, when nobody knew where she was. Iris gulped as the magnitude of the danger struck her. A cold chill ran down her spine.

Thundering knocks on the door told Iris that Snart was here. When she opened the door, she found two sneering Snarts on her front porch.

“Got your dancing shoes on?” Leonard asked in his steely voice. “Dad not home? Pity. I was looking forward to seeing him again.”

Iris was rendered speechless by the sight of Lisa Snart, who was obviously taking pleasure in seeing Iris freeze like a deer in a carriage lantern light.

“W- What is she doing here?”

Lisa pouted. In a baby voice she said, “Aw, not happy to see me?”

Iris got a hold of herself. “I’m sure you could understand why.” She looked at Leonard. “She wasn’t part of the deal.”

“You need her. Without her, you’re not making it to the ball.” Leonard said.

“Lenny doesn’t know how to steer a carriage. Lucky for you, West, I do.” Lisa explained.

Iris stared down Leonard, trying to read him for any signs of a trap.

“Not one of my many talents.” He shrugged. “At least, I got the good looks.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. She strolled in West house and put on an overly cheery voice. “So, I hear we’re all going to be working together.”

“That’s right, sis. Partners.” Leonard drolled.

“We are NOT partners.” Iris corrected him. “I am in charge here. I’m the one blackmailing you.”

“I have to say, I’m impressed, West. Daddy’s little goody two-shoes blackmailing us so she can sneak out to a party.” Lisa said, picking up a framed photograph of Iris and Joe. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

Iris snatched the photo out of Lisa’s hand. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me. Now, let’s go”

“You’re not going to show up at the Palace dressed like that!” Lisa gestured to Iris’ frumpy clothes. “Not even you have that poor of taste.” She pulled a gown out of her handbag and shoved it into Iris’ hands. “Try this.”

There was no chance Iris was getting undressed in front of Leonard and Lisa. There was also no chance she would go up to her bedroom to change, leaving Leonard and Lisa in her home unsupervised. So, she opted for changing in the back of the carriage. Leonard and Lisa were outside the body of the carriage. Lisa was on the perch, steering the horses. Leonard acted as footman, riding on the rumble seat.

The dress Lisa had given Iris was an ugly puce shade with large, tacky flowers adoring the bodice. Iris was glad she did not have a mirror to view herself in, as she was certain she looked awful. It was no matter though, once she was with Barry, her gown would be the last thing on her mind.

Iris spent the first half of the ride practicing her right hook punch, in case her coachmen went rouge. That fear was calmed by the time they’d reached Royal Landing. A new fear, of what she would say to Barry, how he would react to her unexpected reappearance, and how she would explain why she ran away, took the former’s place.

When the Palace was in view from the carriage window, Iris’ heart skipped a beat. She felt a strange sense of returning home, even though the building was still so foreign to her. Just knowing that Barry was inside gave her that sense.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Prince Barry was combing gel through his hair when the doors to his bedchamber flew open.

“B.A!”

Through the reflection in the mirror, Barry could see Earl H.R. flounced in.

“How you doin’ B.A.?” He spluttered.

The Prince exhaled a little laugh. “Not quite as good as you appear to be.”

H.R. patted Barry on the shoulder. “I’m just excited for you. It’s your big night. Well, your second big night.”

“Excited?” Barry questioned. “Sure you don’t mean drunk?”

H.R. looked offended. “Me? Why I would never…….”

The Prince smirked until H.R. cracked up.

“Alright, fine. I had a little. Hey, I was testing the wine to ensure it hadn't been poisoned. I’m always looking out for you, Your Highness.”

Prince Barry and Earl H.R. shared a laugh.

“Thank you for your astounding loyalty to the throne.” Barry joked.

H.R. was laughing himself silly. He leaned over to clutch his sides and his hat fell off. Barry picked up and handed it back to him, apparent with more force than the drunken Earl could handle, as he stumbled in the Prince’s bedside table.

“No!” Barry gasped. He rushed over to the piece of furniture, its draws open ajar from the hit.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” H.R. said through his cackles of laughter. “Just a bump on the buttock. Nothing your old pal hasn’t had before.” He winked.

Barry wasn’t looking. H.R. was not the Prince’s concern, but the contents of the top draw. He opened it fully and sighed in relief when he saw the glass slipper laying in it, unbroken.

Barry picked up the show to inspect it properly. He was so methodical that he didn’t notice H.R. had gone silent. When the Prince was satisfied that the slipper was still perfect as ever, he smiled.

“You still have that thing?” H.R. said, pulling Barry out of his trance.

The Prince was suddenly embarrassed. After the search for the maiden who’d left the slipper behind was called off, Barry told his father he would forget about the shoe. He hadn’t, despite his best efforts. Each day, Barry held the shining slipper in his hands and remembered the bliss of holding the girl who once wore it as they twirled about the dancefloor.

H.R. looked fearful. “You have to get rid of that!”

“No.” Barry protested. He held the show with a white knuckle grip, feeling instinctively protective of it.

H.R.’s eyes were comically wide. His eyes flitted around the room, as if looking for someone to back him up.

Barry relaxed his grip and tried to be more casual. If he didn’t make a big deal out of it, maybe H.R. wouldn’t either.

“I mean, I’m not keeping it because of her.” The Prince lied.

“Good.” H.R. said nervously. “Imagine if Lady Lucinda found out you still have it. She’d be livid.”

It took a great deal of effort for Prince Barry to transform his quail into a playful smile. He chuckled humorlessly. “I don’t have it because of that other girl. I- I just keep it… I’m keeping it because it’s… valuable.” The Prince improvised. “Yes, the glass is quite fine, crystal like in appearance. That’s quality craftsmanship. It would be a shame to throw away such a fine piece of art.”

Barry prayed the Earl was drunk enough to fall for it. For a second, H.R.’s face was unreadable. Then, he burst into laughter again.

“That’s good thinking.” H.R. said, snapping his fingers. “You sure are good with resources, Your Highness, just like your father.”

Barry grinned. “Thanks.” He hastily stashed the slipper back in his draw while H.R. was doubled over in hasterics.

“Now, if you don’t mind,” Barry cleared his throat. “I must finish getting ready for the ball. I want Lady Lucinda to be impressed.”

“Sure thing B.A., sorry for bothering you.” H.R. said, waving goodbye as he made his way to the door. “Oh!” He clapped his hands together. “I almost forgot what I came in to tell you.”

“And what is that?” Barry asked.

“Don’t think about dead puppies.” H.R. warned.

Barry tilted his head in confusion.

H.R. continued, “I’ve done it and yes, it kills the mood. But, too well.”

The context of the Earl’s advice dawned on Barry. He shuttered. “Ew!”

“Long story short, I ended up crying. It wasn’t my best night.” H.R. confessed. “I never saw Rhonda again.” He looked crestfallen.

“I’ll think about baseball.” Prince Barry blurted out, restoring H.R.’s cheerful mood.

“Good call, B.A.”

“Now, if you don’t mind!” Barry urged.

H.R. tipped his hat and left. When the Prince could no longer hear the thudding of clumsy footsteps, he went back to his bedside table and took out the glass slipper. He gazed at it in anguish. The way the light hit it, made the shoe gleam in a way the Prince remembered his beloved eyes gleaming.

“Damn.” Barry cussed under his breath.

He laid back on his bed and held the shoe against his chest. The time he’d been dreading had arrived. Barry knew that at some point he’d have to surrender the shoe to the Palace Treasurer, preferably before King Henry discovered Barry’s lie. He just wanted to keep the slipper close to him. It gave him a strange sense of home.

It’d been difficult enough to adjust to not carrying it in his jacket pocket after the search ended. But, at least Barry took comfort in knowing it would be there for him when he returned to his bedchamber, resting beside him as slept at night. He didn’t like the idea of putting his only connection to his beloved in a cold, dark, vault in the Palace’s safe room.

Though Barry supposed he look on the bright side, he had a perfectly good excuse to keep the shoe instead of discarding of it. They couldn’t let anyone find it and attempt to pawn it off as trinket memorabilia of when the Prince went love crazy. It was reasonable for Barry to store the shoe in the Palace. He could occasionally visit it when retrieving armory or jewelry. Perhaps, he would have to be content with that.

When he’d finished preparing for the ball, The Prince went downstairs to the safe room.

“Your Highness,” One of the staff, Lyla, greeted. “We were not expecting you to drop by.”

“I have something I’d like to put in a vault. Something very valuable that I want to make sure is safe.” Prince Barry told her.

“You can put your mind at ease knowing the Palace has never once lost a single item entrusted to us in the Treasury department.”

Lyla walked Barry over to the giant steel door to the safe room. Beside it stood 4 of the most menacing guards the Royal Guard employed. Lyla handed one a key she removed from her necklace.

“Elvis banana.” The guard said. He looked expectantly at Lyla

“Peanut butter sandwich.” She replied.

The guard nodded his approval and turned the lock to open the safe room.

As the Prince walked in, he heard the guards whispering about the upcoming shift change. But, the fuzzy carpeting of the safe door made it hard to tell exactly what was being said.

Prince Barry hadn’t been in the safe room too often. The four walls covered from floor to ceiling in lockboxes and nothing else in the room were unnerving. Barry remembered the echo his footsteps made as he walked, adding to unease he already felt.

“How large is the item?” Lyla asked.

“About the size of a shoebox.” The Prince answered.

“This one should do then.” Lyla pointed out a lockbox near the top of the wall opposite the door. She turned her back so not to introduce on the Prince’s privacy as he stored his valuable.

Barry took the slipper out of his inner pocket. He’d wrapped it in cloth both to protect the fragile glass and to help conceal what it was. He reached up to the lockbox and put the shoe inside. His breath hitched when the door shut.

“Will that be all, Your Highness?” Lyla asked.

Barry nodded. He turned and left the room, leaving the slipper behind. It felt almost poetic, hiding away the slipper as he hid away his true feelings. Walking away from his only link to the mystery girl from the previous ball as he walked towards his future Queen at tonight’s ball.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Lisa Snart steered the carriage up to the Palace entry steps and came to a halt.

“You’re here.” She said, kicking her foot against the body of the carriage.

Iris didn’t need Lisa’s announcement. She’d been looking out the window and counting down the seconds till they arrived. Heart beating like a drum, head spinning, but mind set. A short, frumpy looking doorman opened the door for Iris. She clamored out of the carriage. The large dress made getting out a challenge.

“We’ll wait out here.” Leonard Snart said. “Something tells me we wouldn’t be the most welcome of guests at a Palace party.”

Iris was perfectly fine with that. She didn’t need the Snarts help anymore.

The magnificence of the Palace that captivated Iris on her first visit were null details this time. She thought of nothing but Barry and kept her eyes locked on the ballroom visible down the hallway of the foyer. The statues of knights and the stoic human knights standing ever present guard were indistinguishable to her, until, one spoke.

“Nice night.”

Iris jerked in shock. When collected herself she responded, “Yes, I suppose so.”

“The weather has been nice lately.”

Iris looked at the knight in suspicion. This was bizarrely out of character for a Palace guard. The peculiarity was only revealed in discomfort by the eyes Iris felt burning into her. She turned to see the knight opposite the chatty one giving him a lethal stare. Wanting to escape the awkward tension, Iris held her skirt up and jogged down the remainder of the hall.

The ballroom was less packed for tonight’s occasion than it had been before. It gave Iris the chance to appreciate the true size of the enormous room. Ladies dressed in the finest silk gowns and men in perfectly tailored suits danced and lounged about, making small talk with one another in polite tones. The scent of flowers decorating the tables and food being served on platters combined into a heavenly medley.

Iris surveyed the guest a half dozen times in search of Barry, but couldn’t find him. She walked around the perimeter surreptitiously looking for any sign of her beloved. Her heart leaped when she laid eyes on him.

Prince Barry was standing with a small group of people near the center of the ballroom, smiling brightly and nodding along as he listened to a dark haired girl in a lavish purple gown speak. He looked somewhat restless, fiddling with his finger and doing a subtle tapdance with his feet. As Iris approached Barry she observed just how close he was standing to the dark haired girl. Closer than social etiquette would deem acceptable for a single man and woman to be.

Iris was mere yards away from Barry when a waiter offering caviar to some guests blocked her view.

She began to say, “Excuse m-”

The bang of a gunshot reverberated off the walls. Several people shrieked in horror. Another gunshot, and the ballroom descended into panic as people tried to find safety. The Royal Guards were yelling at guests to get down and take cover. Iris found herself caught up in a stampede over to the wall, where people were taking portraits off the wall to use as shields. A third shot was fired at the largest chandelier in the center of the room, causing it to come crashing down, people narrowly avoiding being crushed by the metal and glass.

Iris looked across the room and gasped. Leonard Snart, Rosa Dillon, and another man Iris didn’t recognize, where laughing at the scene of chaos before them. All were armed with guns.

“Sorry to crash your party.” The man Iris didn’t recognize quipped.

“Oh, baby,” Rosa swooned, wrapping her arms around him. “It’s not much of a party if we weren’t invented.”

The man, who Iris know assumed to be Sam Scudder, laughed. “These fat cats don’t know how to have fun. I think if we had all this swanky stuff we could throw a better party.”

“DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!” Commanded a Royal Guard leading a special unit of guardsmen in heavy protective armour.

“Don’t want to.” Leonard Snart said flatly. He fired at the guards and a gunfight broke out.

Bullets flew through the air. Iris and the rest of the crowd cowered helplessly, too scared to run.

“ATTACK!” Boomed a woman’s voice.

Iris turned to see a young woman leading a crusade of swordsmen towards the battle. On her order, they pulled their swords from their sheaths and charge the criminals. The woman ran right for Rosa and almost decapitated the villain with one clean swing of her sword.

Rosa scoffed. “Not so quick, sweetheart.” She shot the woman wielding the sword in the leg.

“NO!” Iris cried. She sprang out of the corner she’d been crouching in and went straight for Leonard Snart. He was shooting from behind a piano that was flipped on its side. Iris torn off the bottom of her dress so that she could run more easily. Dodging bullets, she ran with no fear into the fight.

Snart wasn’t far now. Iris dived down onto the slick hardwood floor and slide to Snart, to avoid the gunfire overhead. She grabbed Snart by the ankle and yanked him down onto the ground beside her.

“What are you doing?” Iris demanded.

“Robbing the place. I thought that was obvious.”

“This was not part of the deal. I’m going to tell the Royal Guards about your theft from Jax.”

Snart looked amused. “You think I’m scared of the Royal Guard?” He stood up to his full height and fired rapid shots at the guards. One was hit, went down, and didn’t get back up.

“I won’t stand by and while you steal and maim.”

Iris tried to wrestle the gun out of Snart’s hands. When she got control of it, she pistol whipped Snart.

“Have at it.” He conceded, rubbing his already swollen head.

Iris weaved through the bullets, trying to get close to Rosa and Sam to take a shot.

“We got the loot!” Mick Rory’s voice called.

Iris saw him sliding down the grand staircase banister, with Lisa Snart, and two the two strange knights from the foyer running down the steps next to him. They were all carrying large, bulging sacks.

Leonard, Rosa, and Sam all fell back. Sam tossed at smoke bomb at the Royal Guards, giving them a cover to escape.

“Don’t shoot! We don’t have a visual!” Iris overheard one guard yell.

She choked and wretched, overcome by the cloud of smoke. When it cleared, she was looked up to herself surrounded by the Royal Guard, all pointing their guns at her.

“DROP YOUR WEAPON!” One ordered.

Iris remembered that she was holding Snart’s gun and dropped it immediately. She raised her hands up, and was promptly handcuffed by one of the guards.

“What are you doing?” Iris roared.

The guards ignored her. Singh, Captain of the Royal Guard approached.

“We only apprehended one of the robbers, sir.” The guard who cuffed Iris said.

“I WASN’T WITH THEM!” Iris yelled.

Again, ignoring Iris, the guard continued to speak to the Captain. “The others were Leonard Snart, his sister Lisa, the Mardon brother, Mick Rory, Rosa Dillon, and Sam Scudder.”

“Rosa Dillion helped Scudder break out of prison last night.” Captain Singh sighed. “They didn’t wait long to strike again.”

“And the Mardon brothers,” Another guard chimed in. “They escaped from lockup in Keystone a few weeks ago.”

“I’m familiar with them.” Captain Singh lamented. “But,” He pointed at Iris. “Who is this?”

Before Iris could answer, the guard did. “An accomplice.”

“I AM NOT!” Iris insisted. “I tried to stop them!”

“That’s not what we saw.” Another guard said. “You were with Snart behind the piano.”

“Trying to talk him down!”

“Ha! Nobody would be stupid enough to try talking to Leonard Snart. That man is ice cold.”

“I WASN’T WORKING WITH THEM! PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME! MY NAME IS IRIS WEST. I’M JOE WEST’S DAUGHTER. I’M NOT A CRIMINAL.” Iris pleaded.

“Joe West?” Captain Singh stared at Iris. “He’s been very helpful in apprehending felons on the South side of the Kingdom.”

“That’s my dad!” Iris repeated. “He taught me right from wrong, to value justice. I would never try and rob anyone, especially not the Palace.”

Singh looked Iris over. She could practically see the gears turning in his head as he decided whether or not to believe her.

“Joe has mentioned his daughter often.” Singh allowed. “But, he never told me her name.”

“It’s Iris! She’s me! Please, you have to believe me!”

“Don’t fall for her lies, Captain!” The short doorman who’d let Iris out of the carriage when she’d arrived husseled over. “She showed up with the Snarts. She was riding in their carriage.”

Iris silently cursed herself. She knew this was a bad plan.

“You don’t understand, they tricked me! I had no idea they would rob the Palace. I only asked them for ride here, so I could see Price Barry.” Iris tried to explain.

“So, they’re your friends?” A guard asked.

“No! I was-” Iris racked her brain for a way to tell the truth without it sounding incriminating.

“Was what?”

Iris sighed. She resigned on the whole truth. “I witnessed Leonard Snart stealing carriages from Jefferson Jackson’s repair shop. I used that to blackmail Snart into doing me a favor, bringing me to the ball.”

“You witnessed a crime and instead of coming forward to the guard, you asked a notorious criminal for a favor?” Captain Singh said, agast.

“You don’t understand. I had no other way of getting here for the ball. It was my last resort.”

“Why were you so desperate to attend tonight’s ball?”

“I needed to see Prince Barry.”

“She was trying to get close to the Prince!” The doorman gasped. “God knows what she would have done to him!”

“No, I only wanted to talk to him. I would never hurt him. I love him!” Iris confessed.

“A crazed fan.” One guard muttered under his breath.

“I am not!” Iris retorted. “I’m the girl he’s been searching for, the one from the last ball, who left her shoe behind!”

Captain Singh and the guards exchanged a series of looks which apparently conveyed everything they wished without words.

“You say you’re Joe West’s daughter?” Singh asked.

Iris nodded. “I am.”

“Then, how could you be the girl the Prince was looking for? I do not mean to be rude, but Mr. West is not a wealthy man. There is no way he could afford such an extravagant gown and glass slippers.”

“Probably stole those too.” The doorman muttered.

“I did not!” Iris spat.

“How did you come to possess them then?”

“I-” Iris froze. The story of how she got the dress and slippers was so strange, she doubted anyone would believe it. She wouldn’t have even believed it, had it not happened to her. “They were given to me.”

“By whom?” Captain Singh inquired.

“Two people. A man and a woman. Their names were Cisco and Caitlin.”

“They just, gave you such expensive things?”

“Yes.” Iris swallowed.

“How did you meet Cisco and Caitlin?”

“Um- Well, I was on my way to the ball in a different gown, when Lisa Snart and Rosa Dillion attacked me. I was left, disheveled and alone on a seldom traveled path from the South side to the Palace. That’s when they appeared.”

“Appeared?”

“Cisco and Caitlin just walked up to me. One second I was alone, the next they were beside me.”

“You’re telling us that two people just happened to be walking that path, which by your own admission, is seldom traveled, with a lavish ball gown and priceless pair of glass slippers that they were willing to give away?” A guard asked, skepticism obvious.

“I know it sounds absurd, but I promise you, it’s the truth.”

The doorman nudged Captain Singh and failed to whisper, “Working on her insanity defense.”

“IT’S TRUE!” Iris yelled. “I can prove it. I have one of the glass slippers at my house. I can bring it here to show you.”

“I’m sorry, Miss. West. We can’t let you go home tonight.” Captain Singh told her.

“What?!”

“Based on what we’ve witnessed from you, it seems you were an accomplice in the robbery. Until we can contact Joe West and confirm that you are his daughter, and you’re story is true, we will have to detain you.”

“No!” Iris cried.

“A letter will be sent out to Joe West first thing tomorrow morning. When he responds-”

“That could take a week!”

Captain Singh looked sympathetic. “I’m sorry. I have to arrest you.”

“LET ME SEE BARRY! PLEASE! JUST LET ME SEE HIM AND HE’LL RECOGNIZE ME AND YOU’LL KNOW I’M TELLING THE TRUTH!”

“We cannot allow a suspect in an armed robbery that left one of guardsman dead and another injured to have access to the Prince.”

“But-” Iris tried to protest.

“Take her to the prison.” Captain Singh instructed.

Two guards turned and escorted Iris out of the ballroom.

“Wait! Captain, come back! Please, let me see Barry! It’s me! It’s me! I’m her, I’m the girl!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this chapter. It took so long because I suck at writing action scenes. I’m also sad because I know the story is going to end soon. The plan right now is for 15 chapters, maybe a 16th as a fluffy epilogue. (I also hope you like the little plot twist. I got the idea based on what happened to Barry in season 4.)


	12. Chapter 12

Prince Barry had never been found of large parties. The more people he had to make small talk with, the more his stomach would ache. Ordinarily, Barry would have been nauseated by the thought of attending another ball so soon. But, now that he had Linda to lean on, he felt more confident. She stole the spotlight, as people were drawn to her outgoing personality, something the Prince was grateful for, since it allowed him to slip into the background during lengthy conversations with people he barely knew.

Linda’s outward appearance was also attracting attention. She looked very pretty in a dress of deep purple with lace details. Her dark hair hung in loose curls. Her hand spent much of the evening interlocked with Barry’s, who held it a little tighter when thoughts of the glass slipper-tucked away in a cold lockbox downstairs-entered his mind.

The happy couple greeted all the foreign dignitaries who’d traveled on short notice to attend and all the native government officials. With each interaction, the Prince was more impressed with Linda’s ability to charm. She was well informed and smart, but more than that, she had this way of connecting with people, a natural charisma Barry envied.

“How do you do that?” He asked after Linda managed to negotiate a compromise on tariffs with the Prime Minister of Coast Kingdom as if it were as simple as discussing the weather.

Humble as always, Linda asked, “Do what?”

Prince Barry spied the corners of her mouth smiling as she sipped her glass of wine. He shook his head in amusement.  
Barry wondered how it was so easy for Linda to do what he’d struggled with his whole life. In his teenage years, he often cursed his birth for forcing a role he felt so ill suited for onto him. Linda was one who seemed born for the role.

When their political obligations were met, Linda pulled Barry over to a group of friends who’d come from Starling Kingdom to see her. He nodded along as he listened to Linda tell stories and banter. It was the most relaxed he’d ever felt when in such a large group of people. Well, except for when he was with the mystery girl. But, that felt different somehow because in his mind, that night it didn’t seem like anyone else was there but himself and her.

Just as the Prince’s mind wandered back to the glass slipper, the loud bang of a gunshot rung in his ear. Linda screamed in blood curdling terror. Barry grabbed her by the waist and ran with her towards a nook behind the staircase, a place he thought she’d be safer. A bullet flew past Linda and grazed her arm.

“Ahhh!” She wailed in pain.

Prince Barry helped her make it the rest of the way to the nook. In the chaos of people running and screaming, Barry heard the voices of the Royal Guard demanding the surrender of the shooters, followed by more gunfire.

“Stay here.” The Prince told Linda as he moved to leave their alcove shelter.

“Barry! Where are you going?” She cried.

“I have to get my sword and fight. It’s my duty as a protector of the Kingdom.” He explained.

“Barry, you can’t fight them. They’re monsters.”

“Just stay!” He shouted as he sped off out of the ballroom.

Gunfire and screams echoed through the empty halls as the Prince ran to retrieve his sword. He skid to a halt when he heard gruff voices boasting down from down a corridor.

“I thought Snart was a lunatic, but after this, I think he’s a goddamn genius!”

“We’ll be set for life after tonight!”

Barry gulped when he realized that was the direction of the safe room. Thieves must be robbing it. What if they’d gotten their hands on the glass slipper? Barry abandoned his pursuit of his sword, ready to fight with his bare hands. When the safe room came into view, he saw the door was swung wide open and Lyla was tied up in front of it.

The thieves were distracted by the treasures they were raiding from each lockbox. Barry crept over to Lyla, winking at her to silently signal he would free her. She shifted as best she could while bond to give the Prince access to the knife in her back pocket. The thieves had taken her sword, but they hadn’t gotten her backup. Barry used the knife to cut the ropes around Lyla.

Once free, she sprang up and snuck alongside Barry into the safe room. In their haste, the thieves had left the empty lockbox draws on the ground after pulling them out of the wall. Lyla and Barry each picked one up. Lyla approached one thief, a scruffy haired man, while Barry approached the other, a bald man with beady eyes. When they were in reaching distance of the thieves, they struck.

The drawers knocked the thieves to the floor when Lyla and Barry hit them over the head. Lyla kicked the gun out of one’s hand and began fighting him. Barry put a foot on the other one’s chest and wrenched the gun away from him. The beady eyed man grabbed yelled and grabbed Barry by the leg, pulling him down on the floor too. Barry barrel rolled and avoided a punch. He kicked the bald man in the shin, and then sucker punched him in the gut.

Lyla slammed the scruffy haired thief into the wall. When he stopped fighting back, she paused, checking to see if he was still alive. It was a mistake. The thief was feigning it so he could catch Lyla off guard. He kicked her off of him, spun around, and grabbed her in a choke hold.

Barry sprinted over to help. He wrestled the man’s arm away from Lyla’s throat. She fell to the floor gasping for breath. Barry and the scruffy haired thief brawled. The scruffy haired thief lunged forward at the Prince, and Barry ducked just in time. The thief ended up crashing against the wall. Barry leered over him to strike him again, when he was hit by a bullet.

“LET’S GO!” The beady eyed man yelled.

As Prince Barry sank to the floor in agony, he saw the thieves tossing burlap sacks filled with stolen riches over their shoulders. They ran out of the safe room. Barry tried to stand, to pursue them, but he could barely move.

Lyla, who was still short of breath, went to Barry’s aid rather than giving chase.

“You’ve been shot in the back, Your Highness.” She took off her jacket and pressed the thick fabric onto his wound. “We need to get you to the Royal doctor.”

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Iris spent the night in a jail cell in the Palace dungeon. She didn’t sleep. All night she’d kept insisting to the guards that this was all a misunderstanding and begging for them to bring the Prince to her.

“I’m the girl Prince Barry met at the last ball. I only ran away because I had to leave at midnight. I came to this ball so I could see him again and stay this time. If you let me see the Prince, he’ll tell you it’s me!”

The guards upheld their flat affect, giving no indication they even heard Iris talking.

The shine of the sun through the barred window of the cell hurt Iris’ eyes. It was morning. A new shift of guards came. They exchanged solutees with the night guards, who finally relaxed their stony features.

“How is His Highness’ condition?” One of the night guards whispered.

Iris strained her ears to hear.

“The Prince was badly injured Rory’s shot. He was rushed to Central Hospital where he spent most of the night in surgery.” A guard who’d just arrived relayed. “Treasurer Lyla, who was with His Royal Highness when he sustained the wound, said she is gravely concerned.”

“No…” Iris gasped. She refused to believe this was really happening.

“Damn.” The night guard cursed. He glanced in Iris’ direction. “Her trial may need to be postponed.”

“If there is one.” The new guard said. “We’ll hear back from Joe West within a few days, he’ll probably be able to clear this up. One way or another, he’ll be able to tell us who she is, his daughter or an associate of Snart’s gang.”

Iris didn’t care about her fate anymore. She sat down on the hard bed suspended from the cell’s wall. If Barry was dead, then there was nothing worth fighting for. She could plead her case to everyone, but it would be no use. If she was freed or if she was left to rot in this cell, it didn’t matter much to her anymore. Without Barry, she wouldn’t be happy.

 

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Prince Barry awoke groggy and stiff. He wasn’t sure where he was or what happened. The last thing he remembered was his father telling him to hold on while they rode to the hospital. His head felt foggy and his vision was unclear. He tried to move, but it was too painful.

Stuck in place, the Prince’s eyes searched everything in sight. He realized he was in his bedroom. Had it all been in bad dream?

“Good morning, slugger.” King Henry’s voice said.

“Morning dad.” Barry said weakly. He felt his father’s hand come to rest on his.

“Ever since you were ten, your mother and I have been telling you not to get into fights. Decade and a half later, and you still haven’t learned that lesson.”

The Prince smiled. He knew his father said it in jest.

“At least you won.” The King laughed.

“Did the guards catch the thieves?”

“Unfortunately, no. But, you and Lyla prevented them from stealing more. They only made off with about a third of the contents of our safe room.”

Then, Barry remembered, the reason he’d gone to the safe room in the first place.

“The glass slipper!”

The Prince no longer cared about his father finding out he’d kept the slipper. That didn’t seem important anymore. Barry felt the familiar shape and cool glass replace his father’s hand. He used all his strength to move his head and look. He sighed in relief when he saw the shoe.

Henry was silent for a while, before finally saying, “I thought you’d gotten rid of that.”

“I could never, dad.” Barry admitted. He admired the slipper, thankful to be holding it again.

The King looked pained.

A knock at the door got both of their attention.

“Your Majesty, may I come in?”

“Yes, Captain Singh.” The King answered.

Captain Singh entered. He bowed his head and looked pityingly at the Prince.

“Good to see you awake, Your Highness. You gave us quite the scare.” He walked up to the King. “Is now a good time to brief you on the situation?”

“Yes.” King Henry answered. “Now that I know my son is alright, I can deal with the crisis at hand.”

“You didn’t have a briefing last night?” Prince Barry said, surprised.

“No, I was too worried about you. I couldn’t think of anything else. I only know the most general information, that Leonard Snart and several other notorious criminals robbed the Palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Leonard Snart, his sister, Lisa, Mick Rory, Sam Scudder, Rosa Dillon, and Mark Mardon were the known criminals and culprits. They were all armed. In the shootout, a Royal Guardsman was fatally wounded, Mr. Fred Chyre.”

Barry clamped his eyes closed. He was saddened by the news. Chyre was a good man and excellent guard.

“And Jesse?” King Henry asked in a nervous tone.

“Jesse got hurt?” Prince Barry gasped.

“Stabbed, but alive and recovering.” Captain Singh reported. “Grand Druke Wells has been at her side every moment.”

“What about Linda?” The Prince begged. He’d just remembered that she was injured as well.

“Lady Lucinda’s gunshot wound was only superficial. She is fine physically, just shaken emotionally.”

“Good.” Barry breathed.

“She’s been asking to see you.”

Captain Singh’s eyes fell from Prince Barry to the glass slipper in his hand. King Henry was also eyeing the slipper with discomfort.

The Prince slipped the shoe under his blankets.

“Linda can come in.” He said.

“She’s been waiting outside. I’ll tell her.” Captain Singh poked his head out of Barry’s bedchamber door and gestured.

Linda rushed into the room. When she saw Barry, her mouth dropped. She knelt by his bed and gazed at him.

“Barry, are you alright?” She said, tears rolling down her face.

“I’m fine. Don’t be worried about me.” He smiled at her. “I’m just happy you’re alright.”

Linda reached out for Barry’s hand and squeezed it. The couple looked happily at each other, lost in a loving trance.

“There is more to be briefed on.” Captain Singh interrupted. “May I go on?”

“Yes, Captain, please do.” King Henry said.

“Well, there is a seventh suspect who is in our custody now.”

“Terrific!” Linda cheered.

“It is just unclear at this time what extent, if any, she was involved with the crime. You see, she’s not a known member of Snart’s gang.” Captain Singh said. “She claims to be a woman by the name of, Iris West, the daughter of Joe West. No criminal record.”

“Joe West?” The King pondered aloud. “Say, isn’t he the man who’s been helping the Royal Guard apprehend criminals in the South side of the Kingdom?”

“He is, Your Majesty. We’ve sent a letter asking him if this is truly his daughter and are investing her other claims.”

“Other Claims?” The King questioned.

Captain Singh sighed. He looked at Prince Barry. “The girl claims that she is the one from the ball, the one who ran away, leaving behind the glass slipper.”

Barry’s eyes widened. His heart beat faster. He felt the urge to jump out of bed and run to her, wherever she was.

“Do you think she’s credible?” The King asked.

“I- I don’t know.” Captain Singh shrugged. “Probably not. The girl may to be suffering from hallucinations. She claims that two people she’d never met before magically appeared and gave her the expensive dress and glass slippers she wore to the ball.”

“It sounds like she needs to see a doctor as well.” Linda commented.

Without thinking how it would sound to Linda, Barry blurted out, “Where is she?”

“She is being held in a cell in the dungeon pending Joe West’s testimony for her or a full trial.” Captain Singh said. He looked at the floor and added, “She’s been asking to see you, Your Highness.”

The Prince instinctively sat up, adrenaline rushing through him. King Henry put a hand on his chest and eased him back down onto the bed.

“Easy, son. You just had a bullet taken out of your back. You need to rest.”

“Of course, we couldn’t let you see the girl even if you were in good health, Your Highness.” Captain Singh said. “It wouldn’t be safe. We don’t know who she is right now. She could very well be a criminal who was part of the robbery. After we hear from Joe West-”

“That could be days.” The Prince pointed out.

“Yes, but-”

“Barry!” Linda snapped. “You’ve been shot. Lady Jesse has been stabbed. Not to mention, your mother’s condition. Why are the ludacris claims of an alleged criminal your greatest concern?”

Barry froze. “My mother?”

Linda blinked several times. She bit her lips. It looked like she was regretting what she’d just said.

“Her Majesty’s condition did worsen over night.” Captain Singh said mournfully.

“Is she…… Is she..” Barry couldn’t speak. He looked to his father.

“She is still here with us, fighting as hard as ever to stay here for as long as possible.” His father said.

Barry took little comfort in the words because the pain on his father’s face said too much.

“She wasn’t hurt by the robbers, was she?” Barry asked.

“No, she was well protected, several floors above where the gunfire was.” Captain Singh said. “But, she did hear the incident and it frightened her. When she learned that you, Your Highness, had been shot, she became severely ill.”

“How?”

“The doctor said that stress can worsen a terminal illness, especially in a person’s final-” Captain Singh did not finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to. He cleared his throat. “That is all the information we have at this time, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Captain.” King Henry said, dismissing him.

“I’m so sorry, Barry.” Linda whispered.

“She knows that I’m going to ok, right? You told her didn’t you?” Barry asked his father.

“The moment I was told.” King Henry said. “She was very happy to hear that and she’s been doing better since.”

Barry tried to smile but couldn’t find the motivation. His dad patted his shoulder.

“You get some rest now, slugger.”

“I will.” Barry promised.

“Do you want me to stay with you?” Linda asked.

“No thank you.” Barry said tenderly. “Captain Singh told me you were waiting outside my door all night. It sounds like you need some rest too. Go take care of yourself, Linda. I’m alright. I want to know you are too.”

Linda nodded and stood up, looking only slightly hurt. She left behind King Henry.

Alone, Barry pulled out the glass slipper and held it on his chest. He felt his heart beat against it.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Iris couldn’t remember falling asleep. She laid in bed most of the day, crying till she ran out of tears, reaching a depth of despair she’d never known existed before. Images of Barry’s lifeless body haunted. Her tears soaked through the thin pillowcase and blanket of her cell bed.

Iris couldn’t differentiate where her conscious anxiety ended and her nightmares began, as scenes of Mick Rory shooting Barry played over and over in her mind. She felt like she was meeting her own death as she watched the light leave Barry’s green eyes.

The rattling and squeaking of the iron cell door opening roused Iris from her sorrow. She looked up at the guard standing before her.

Iris decided that tragedy had driven her mad, for there was no way what she was seeing was real.

“Wally?!”

“Shhh!” Wally put a finger to Iris’s lips. “We don’t want to be noticed by the guards.”

Iris looked her brother up and down. He was wearing a Royal Guard uniform and carrying a sword.

“What are you doing here?” She whispered.

“Dad was sick with worry when you didn’t come home last night. He went to Drunkards to find you and they said you were fired a week ago. Dad and I went out looking for you. At a shop I went in, I heard people talking about a ball at the Palace. I just knew that’s where you had to be. You’d been acting so strange ever since the other ball.” Wally recounted. “I got in Cecile’s carriage and was on my way to the Palace, when I passed Leonard Snart and his criminal friends. This blonde woman yelled something at me, about thanking my sister for taking the fall.”

Iris sighed. Rosa Dillon must be the woman Wally meant.

“I stopped to feed the horses in town this morning before making it the Palace,” Wally continued. “And I saw the newspaper headline that one girl, claiming to be the mystery girl the Prince was searching for, was being held on suspicion of being an accomplice to a robbery of the Palace last night.”

“I wasn’t part of the robbery! Please Wally, you have to believe me. I had nothing to do with that. I came to the Palace to see Prince Barry because-and I know this sounds crazy-but I’m, the girl he was looking for! Please, please believe me!”

“I believe you.” Wally assured Iris. “That’s why I knocked out an off duty guard I saw in town and stole his uniform, so I could come rescue you.”

“Rescue me?” Iris questioned.

Wally took her hand. “Come on, we don’t have a lot of time. We need to go.”

“Go where?”

“Home, Iris! I’m breaking you out of here!”


	13. Chapter 13

Time seemed to inch by as Prince Barry was confined to bed rest. He felt an additional pang sympathy for his poor mother now that he knew how dull it was to stare up at one’s ceiling for hours. Though the boredom was mind numbing, it wasn’t pain numbing. The Prince was still suffering from a sharp pain where the bullet had pierced his flesh. Physical pain was bad, but the emotional torment of knowing the mystery girl from the ball could be waiting just floors below, looking up at the ceiling, just as he was.

After hours-which felt more like days-Prince Barry insisted he get up. He silenced the objections from his nurses by exploiting the medical training his father had.

“The Surgeon General taught my father when he was an apprentice, early ambulation after surgery reduces recovery time and chances of complications.”

Still in pajamas, Barry hobbled down the halls of the Palace. He pressed the glass slipper tight against his abdomen with both hands as he made his way to the prison where the mystery girl was being held. Passerbys assumed the Prince was splinting his incision, unaware of the exact location he’d been wounded. It was an excellent way of concealing the shoe, until the Prince turned a corner and came face to face with Linda.

“Barry! What are you doing out of bed?”

“I- I was just going to see my mother.” Barry lied. “I had to make sure she knew I was alright, her worrying makes her own health worse.”

“You’re hunched over, are you in pain?” Linda fret. “Do you need help getting back to your bed?”

She reached out to Barry, trying to help him stand up right. But, her hand got dangerously close to the glass slipper. Prince Barry flinched away from her touch.

Visibly hurt by his action. Linda stared at him.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I- I’m sorry. I just um-” Barry struggled. “I don’t want you to touch my incision. Best to keep people away from it. Avoid infections, you know?”

Linda’s demeanor changed from concerned to angry in the blink of an eye. She knew Barry was lying to her.

“You were shot in the back.” She reminded him. “Why are you clutching your stomach? It’s fine.”

Barry bit his lip. Linda realize another lie the Prince had told her.

“This isn’t the path from your bedchamber to your mother’s room. You weren’t going to see her, were you?”

Guilt ridden, he confessed. “I was not.”

Prince Barry sighed. He couldn’t keep lying like this, Linda deserved to know the truth. The Prince open his hands and showed Linda the glass slipper.

“I was going to see if it truly is her.”

Linda closed her eyes. Her face looked pained, but then, she laughed. Somehow, her laugh made Barry feel worse.

“I’m sorry. I like you, Linda, and we really get along.”

Before Prince Barry could continue his apology, Linda waved him off.

“Relationships should be more than just getting along. You’re heart should ache for me. Does it?”

Unwilling to lie again, Prince Barry said nothing. He lowered his head in shame. Linda smiled in understanding. She held Barry’s hand.

“You’re not upset with me?” He asked in surprise.

“No one did anything wrong.”

“I do feel a lot for you, Linda. It’s just-”

“Just not as much as you feel for someone else.” She surmised.

Both Barry and Linda’s eyes fell on the glass slipper.

“Deep down, I’ve always known.” Linda said. She looked the Prince in the eye. “You love her. You’re never going to stop looking for her, never going to stop chasing her.”

Barry turned the glass slipper in his hands. Linda was right. He would always be looking for the girl who left it behind but took his heart.

Linda smiled. “Go get her.”

She gave the Prince a soft kiss on the cheek, it’s tenderness speaking their goodbye.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Wally put his arm around Iris and walked her out of her prison cell. She could feel how tense he was. If they get caught, they’d both end up in prison, and Iris wasn’t sure her dad’s good reputation would be enough to get them off.

Iris and Wally walked swiftly, but casually, down the corridor. The door to the outside was a few strides away. Iris breathed easier, thinking they were in the clear, when the a guard’s voice boomed behind them.

“Is that the prisoner transfer of inmate #187?”

The West siblings stopped dead in their tracks. Iris moved her hand to cover the label of #132 on the front her jumpsuit. She watched a bead of sweat drip down Wally’s forehead.

“Affirmative.” He called to the guard without turning around.

“I haven’t finished the processing paperwork yet. Hold off a few minutes.”

Wally cleared his throat, but said convincingly, “Yes, sir.”

Iris’ stomach dropped. Wally shot her a reassuring look that calmed her slightly.

“Damn it.” The guard cursed. “These fingerprints are all blotchy. Thawne, the new guy, must’ve done them. Hey, bring the prisoner over here. I have to get a new set of prints.”

“Uhhhh” Wally stalled. “I can’t.”

“Why the hell not?” The guard yelled back.

“The warden asked for her to be brought to the next cell block immediately.”

“Her?”

Wally and Iris exchanged panic glances.

“The only female prisoner in holding is that one claiming to be Joe West’s daughter. She’s not going anywhere.” The guard started walking towards them. “Where is your ID badge, guardsman?”

Iris looked at Wally hopelessly, praying he had also stolen the guard’s ID. Wally reached into the rucksack on his side. The footsteps of the guard drawing closer echoed in Iris’ ears.

“Identify yourself, now!” The guard commanded.  
Wally pulled a key out of the rucksack. He slipped it into Iris’ hand moved his arm off of her. “Go.” He whispered in her ear.

“I said, identity yourself!” The guard repeated.

Wally pushed Iris towards the door. He spun around to face the guard, whipped the sword out of its sheath, and charged. The guard retaliated with quick reflexes. Their swords clashed with loud bangs of metal.

“Run, Iris, run!” Wally yelled to her.

Iris didn’t want to leave Wally behind, but with no weapon to help defend him, she could be of no use. She unlocked the door and ran out of the prison.

 

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Nerves struck Prince Barry as he descended the stairs to the prison. He’d been dreaming of reuniting with the maiden from the ball since the moment she’d left him. He understood that this girl may be a hoax, it’s not as if no prisoner had ever lied before. But, something in Barry’s heart pulled him to her, like a magnet. He wasn’t sure if it was simple curiosity to find out if it was truly the girl he’d met, or if it was his heart’s intuition.

Prince Barry was imagining putting the slipper on the maiden’s foot, it being a perfect fit, when a crash from behind the prison door startled him.

“One of the prisoners escaped! Go after her!” A guard’s voice roared so loud, the Prince heard it through the iron door.

Prince Barry took the remainder of the stairs two at a time, pushed open the door, and found himself in the middle of a swordfight. Three guards took on one man, who appeared to have stripped parts of his uniform and armour.

One guard gasped upon noticing Prince Barry’s entrance. “Stay back! He’s a impersonating a guard and he’s very dangerous.”

Swords clashed as the battle waged. Prince Barry put the glass slipper down on the guard desk. He grabbed a sword off the wall behind it and joined the effort to subdue the guard imposter.

The Prince and the Royal Guard waved their swords left and right, trying and failing to strike the offender. He wield his sword with such ease, anticipated their next moves, and reacted with lightning quick reflexes. Prince Barry lamented that Jesse was here to fight, for her skills may be the only ones capable of besting this imposter.

 

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Iris ran as fast as she possibly could. She didn’t have a clue what direction she was running in, except that it was away from the Palace. In mere minutes, guards would be pursuing her on foot and on horseback. Iris knew she needed to get as far away from the Palace as she could, but the vast grounds were impossible to navigate in her panicked state of mind. She feared she was running further into the property than off of it.

Iris remembered Wally telling her that he’d come in Cecile’s carriage, but where to find that carriage was the challenge. Needing a moment’s rest to catch her breath, Iris stopped behind a large tree. She surveyed the area for any sign of where a horse and carriage might be.

A loud, and painfully familiar, gong sounded from the Palace’s clock tower. Iris’ eyes followed the noise. She saw the clock tower was a good distance horizontally from where she was behind the tree, but it was not far behind her. That meant she was going in the right direction. The front of the Palace wasn’t far. That might be where Wally had left the carriage.

Feeling recharged, Iris took off again. She ran while paying close attention to her surroundings. When Iris passed the front entrance of the Palace, she slowed. There was no carriage in sight. Her frustration was overshadowed by adrenaline when Iris saw guardsman on horses galloping after her. She gulped. There was no way she could outrun horses, hiding was her only option now.

Iris fled to her right, where not a far distance away, there was a stable. When she sprinted inside, she ducked behind tall bales of hay. It was unsettlingly quiet in the barn, making the thunder of the Royal Guard’s horses running by all the louder. Iris held her breath.

After a minute of steady silence, Iris exhaled. It seemed the guardsman had passed. Her heart nearly burst from her chest when a moment later, she felt a nudge on her shoulder.

Covering her mouth to muffle her scream, Iris stumbled to her feet. She was ready to fight, expecting to be surrounded by guards. To her great relife, it was only a horse.

Iris chuckled. “Don’t sneak up on me like that, you!”

The horse stepped closer to her. It was then Iris realized this was one of Cecile’s horses.

“Hello, do you remember me?” Iris asked the horse. “I’m a friend of Cecile’s.”

The horse reared its head as if it were nodding yes.

Iris walked through the barn looking for the rest of Cecile’s horses. “Where are your brothers and sister?”

Iris found them on the opposite side of the stable, still gathered around Cecile’s carriage.

“There you are!” Iris sang with glee. She each of the horses, feeling thankful she’d found them. “Well, now that the gang’s all here, let’s go save Wally!”

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Prince Barry and the guards of the prison were joined by more Royal Guardsman. The imposter was now hugely outnumbered. Apparently intimidated by that, he lost focus for a moment, allowing the Prince to strike his shoulder. The imposter was hit, but he recovered remarkably fast. With his sword, the imposter blocked a deeper blow and hit Prince Barry’s out of his grip.

The Prince’s sword sailed through the air, causing everyone to cover their heads in fear. The imposter took this opportunity to make his getaway. Prince Barry saw the imposter run out of the already open prison exit. He was ready to follow when he heard the shattering of glass.

Prince Barry looked to the guard’s desk. The glass slipper was no longer sitting upon it.

“NO!” Barry yelled.

He ran over to see the remains of the glass slipper scattered around the bottom of the desk. A million shining pieces of what was his only hope of finding his true love.


	14. Chapter 14

Iris didn’t have to wait long before Wally came charging out of the prison. She quickly jumped into the back so that Wally, the superior driver, could steer.

“Go! Go! Go!” He yelled to the horses.

They sped off, hooves thundering on the ground. Even from the Carriage’s interior, Iris could hear the wind whistling they whipped away. Iris peered out the window and saw a stampede of the Royal Guard giving chase.

“They’re after us!” Iris called in warning to Wally.

“I’ll lose them.”

Wally made a sharp turn and Iris was shaken from one side of the carriage to the other.

“Hold on tight back there!” He advised after the fact.

Iris kept watch on the guards pursuing them. They weren’t far off, but she was confident Wally could get away. Nobody drove like Wally. He was faster than anyone. That, combined with his skill maneuvering the vehicle after all the hours he’d spent pouring over books on their design, made him the best driver in the Kingdom.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

“No, no, no, no, no.” Barry repeated to himself. “Please, no.”

The Prince tried in vain to gather all of the shattered glass and reconfigure it back into a slipper. He was numb to the many cuts the glass inflicted on his hands. Blood dripped from him, staining the once flawless material red.

“Your Highness!” Captain Singh wrenched Prince Barry off the floor. “What are you doing? Why did you come down here? In your state, you should be resting in bed. Your father will be furious!”

Barry looked around and saw fleets of guardsmen charging out across the grounds, following a carriage. If his mind were not racing in his grief for the slipper, the Prince would have realized how strange he must’ve looked, clothed in pajamas and hands bloodied.

“Are you alright?” The Capin asked.

Prince Barry nodded. He straightened up and tried to get a hold of himself. “Sorry, Captain. I was just- Uh- I heard the commotion while walking and ran down to assist.”

Captain Singh’s hardy stance softened. “That is not your job, Barry, and you’re not at full strength right now. These are dangerous criminals we’re dealing with, you could have been killed or severely wounded. It’s not only your father who would be devastated if something were to happen to you. Trust in the guard to do it’s duty.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Captain Singh turned to the open cell and examined the crime scene. Prince Barry looked down at the remains of the slipper. Gears turned in his mind and he remembered his original purpose for coming here. A sudden rage boiled to the surface in him.

“He broke it.”

“I beg your pardon?” Captain Singh asked.

“He broke the glass slipper.” Prince Barry said, pointing the Captain to the his bloody debree. “I had it when I came down and in the scuffle of his escape, he broke the glass slipper.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Captain Singh said sincerely. “I know how much it meant to you. We will add it’s destruction to the charges when he is caught and arrested.”

Barry kicked the shards of glass in anger. “Damn it! He broke the slipper and he got away.”

“He will not get far.” Captain Singh asserted. “Half the Royal Guard is after him. The imposter guard and the fugitive he broke out will face justice in no time.”

“The fugitive he broke out?”

“Yes, the woman we were holding on suspicion of involvement in robbery Snart orchestrated.”

“The one who alleged she was the maiden who left the glass slipper behind in the first place?”

Captain Singh looked awkward. He spoke in a patronizing voice. “Your Highness, the odds she was telling the truth are astronomical. It was likely a ruse to avoid a sentence for the robbery or to harm you in an act of revenge because of her capture.”

Prince Barry ignored the Captain’s cautioning. He ran to the storage closet and grabbed a guard’s armor.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

Wally and Iris made it back to their home in record time, even with the unnecessary turns they took to throw off the Royal Guard.

“The Coast is clear.” Wally said, and Iris scrambled out of the carriage.

They ran inside, knowing the Royal Guard would eventually catch up to them.

“IRS! WALLY!”

Joe leap up from the couch. He looked like he hadn’t slept or eaten in days. Iris threw her arms around her dad and hugged him.

“God, Iris, I missed you so much. I was worried sick. Where the hell have you been?”

Iris didn’t know where to begin. That was a long story and she didn’t have time to tell it now. She’s make up for her secrecy later.

“I’m ok, dad. Wally saved me.”

“Thank you, son.” Joe said. “Though, I wish you would’ve told me where you were going first.”

Wally smiled feebly. “Sorry, dad. There wasn’t time. And, there isn’t time now either. Iris and I need to hide.”

“Hide? Why?”

Wally took Iris by the hand started walking up the stairs with her. “No time to explain that now. But, if the Royal Guard shows up looking for us, tell them you haven’t seen us.”

“What?!”

Joe was about to protest further, when someone pounded on the front door.

“West family, open up, this is the Royal Guard.”

Iris’ heart sank.

Wally pushed her up another step and whispered, “Go, go!”

Reluctantly, Iris went up the stairs. At first, she hid round the corner of the stairwell, frozen in fear. Then, it struck her what she needed to clear her and Wally’s names.

Iris ran to her bedroom, dived under her bed, and held her breath until she found it. She prayed it was still there, that it had not vanished into thin air. After a few seconds of searching that seemed to last a century, Iris found it.

The glass slipper, perfect as ever, shining as it had the night she met Barry, was in Iris’ hands. She saw her smile reflected in it.

As Iris went back to the stairwell, she heard the echoes of conversation happening downstairs.

”This is all a misunderstanding.” Her dad was saying.

“Yes,” Wally agreed. “Iris didn’t rob the Palace, she was there to see the Prince and prove she is the maiden he met at the ball.”

“What?” Joe and a guard said in unison.

“I know it sounds absurd, but it’s the truth. Iris is the mystery girl the Prince has been trying to find.” Wally insisted. “Give her a chance to show you.”

“We will never find the maiden from the ball. Our only clue was the glass heel that fell off her foot as she was running away, but it was broken in the scuffle that ensued because of your prison break.” The guard informed them, pointing his finger accusatory at Wally.

“The glass slipper is broken?” He gasped.

“That’s alright.” Iris said, rounding the corner and revealing herself to the crowd at the bottom of the stairs. She held up the glass slipper for them all to see. “I have the other one.”


	15. Chapter 15

Looks of astonished fell on everyone’s face but Wally’s. He beamed in excitement as Iris descended the stairs, glass slipper sparking in the sunlight pouring in from the open door.

The guard leading the troop gasped. “I- I don’t believe it.”

“My name is Iris West and I am the maiden from ball.” Iris confessed with pride.

“Iris” An endearing voice repeated. 

The crowd of guards parted as one from the back came closer. A tall, lanky man with soft hazel eyes that gazed at Iris, stepped past the group. He took off his helmet so that his face was no longer obstructed.

Several people gasped, Wally put his fist in his mouth, Joe stepped back clutching his chest, and Iris let out a cry of relief, upon seeing Prince Barry.

Iris couldn’t believe her eyes. “You’re alive!”

Barry looked back at her with equal awe. “You’re here!”

“I’m here.” Iris giggled.

They ran into each other’s arms. Barry kissed her just as he’d been dreaming of doing since the second they’d parted. The brush of his lips against hers made Iris feel like she was in the Palace garden again, sitting on the fountain’s edge.

Barry only ended the kiss because he desired to look Iris in her eyes. They exchanged playful grins and batted eyelashes. Time seemed to have halted, for when they broke apart, everyone was still locked in the same shocked position. Iris and Barry held onto one another, each afraid the other would be lost again.

“I was scared I’d never find you.” Barry whispered.

“I was scared you were dead.” Iris whimpered. A tear rolling down her face was wiped away by Barry’s nose when he nesselted against her cheek.

“I’m alright.” Barry assured her.

One of the guards cleared his throat, louding reminding the reunited couple they were not alone.

“Your Highness,” He said. “May I ask, what is going on?”

“Captain Singh told me a suspect in the robbery was claiming to be the girl I fell in love with. I had to see her, to see if it was true, so I went to the prison to meet her, only to walk in on a breakout.” The Prince explained.

Wally cringed. “Sorry about that.”

“In the fighting, the glass slipper that you’d left behind, that I’d treasured as it was my only connection to you, was broken.” Prince Barry continued. “I was beside myself. Then, I heard that you were the escapee. Thinking it my last hope of ever finding you, I put on a uniform and joined the Royal Guard in their chase.”

“You came after me?” Iris asked.

“Always.”

“Hold on,” Joe, who seemed to have gotten a better grip on himself, spoke up. “Iris, you’re telling me that you are the mystery girl from the Royal ball?”

“Yes.” Iris said.

“Why did you keep that a secret?”

“And, why did she run away in the first place?” A guard added.

Iris hung her head. “I am so sorry for all my secrecy. I never imagined that I’d meet Prince Barry at the ball, much less fall in love with him. The whole night was like a dream. A beautiful dream, but I knew I’d have to wake from it.”

Barry looked at her in confusions. 

“Your Highness, I’m not a Princess, or a Duchess, or noblewoman, or even lady in waiting. I’m just a girl, who got fired from her job as a bar maiden, and who couldn’t afford a dress or a carriage for the ball, so I relied on the generosity of some new friends. When it was time to give back all of the glamour they’d lent me, I ran away. I was a girl playing dress up, scared of being seen as who I truly am.” 

“Why didn’t you come forward when the Palace announced the search party looking for you?” Joe asked.

“When I heard people talking about how poised and beautiful the mystery girl was, I doubted anyone would believe it was me.” Iris said earnestly. “I was going to wait till I was asked to try on the slipper, because that would be proof. But, the search was called off before I got the chance.”

“What about the robbery? Why had you arrived at the Palace with the Snarts?” A guard demanded.

“I wanted to go to the second ball, but didn’t have the help of friends to get me there. So, when I caught Leonard Snart and his gang stealing carriages, I used it as blackmail to get them to take me to the Palace for the second ball.” Iris admitted. “I had no idea they were planning a robbery. Please, believe me. I was wrong to trust them. I should have turned them over to the guards instead of thinking I could use them. It was foolish.” 

Iris could no longer look at Barry, she felt too ashamed. But, he cupped her face and pressed his forehead against hers.

“I’m so sorry.” Iris apologized. “I was desperate for any way to see you again.”

“It’s alright.” Barry whispered. “I was desperate to see you too.”

“What about the prison break?” The lead guard huffed.

“That was all my fault.” Wally insisted. “Iris had nothing to do with it. I snuck into the prison to break her out. It was all me.”

Iris shook her head furiously. “NO! Please don’t blame Wally, he was only trying to help me. I’m at fault for going along with it. I did so because I heard the guards talking about how the Prince had been gravely injured during the robbery. I believed you dead.”

Barry squeezed her hand. “I am right here.”

“But, what about-” The lead guard began.

“None of that matters now.” Prince Barry asserted, silencing him. “All that matters,” Barry traced his fingers across the glass slipper. “Is this.”

He walked hand in hand with Iris to a chair. She sat down and handed him the glass slipper. Barry got down on bended knee. He guided Iris’ foot into glass slipper. It fit perfectly. 

The crowd watched with wide eyes, but Barry and Iris only looked at each other.

“Iris” Barry breathed.

“The last time you placed my glass slipper on me was that night at the ball.” Iris remembered, looking down at him and her shoe. “I fell more in love with you in each second we spent together. I ran from you at the end of the night, but I couldn’t run from the way you made me feel. Ever since that night, I have not been able to stop thinking about you.”

“I’ve never stopped thinking about you.”

Barry surged up to kiss her. He wanted to show her how much he’d longed for her, every hour, every minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter and an epilogue left! I hope this iconic moment, of Barry putting the slipper on Iris, lived up to expectations.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read this story. Thank you for encouraging me from the day I posted chapter 1. Thank you for your enthusiasm and compliments. It means so much to me. This is the longest fic I have ever written. I loved every minute of it. It’s the fic I am most proud of. It makes me sad to say goodbye to this version of WestAllen, but I hope you enjoy this ending. There will be an epilogue!

Night had fallen by the time Prince Barry returned to the Palace with the West family accompanying him. Arm in arm, Barry proudly walked Iris inside. He was elated. Everything he’d ever wanted was his.

That all changed in a heartbeat, when Duke Wells rushed over, pale faced and more strung out than usual.

“Your Highness, we’ve been searching everywhere for you. Where have you been?”

Prince Barry opened his mouth, ready to answer and introduce Iris. But, Duke Wells kept talking.

“Never mind that now, you must come quickly. It’s an emergency.”

“What’s wrong?”

The Duke took a deep breath. “It’s your mother.”

Iris looked to Barry in shock and anguish. He looked determinedly straight ahead, but kept hold of Iris.

“There is still time, but you have to hurry.” Duke Wells added.

Barry jogged up to his mother’s bedchamber, Iris right beside him the whole time. When they were just outside the Queen’s door, Iris pulled back.

“I’ll wait out here in the hallway.”

Barry looked sick. Iris couldn’t tell if he was pleased with or disappointed by her not wanting to go in with him. He nodded softly then faced the large, intimidating, gold plated door before him. Iris laid a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. It seemed to give Barry the strength he needed to go inside.

 

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“Mom!” Barry cried.

Queen Nora lay shivering in her bed, ghostly pale. The sight felt so wrong to Barry. His mother was a figure of strength and grace his entire life, but now she struggled to lift her head.

“Barry!” She mused.

The Prince knelt down beside her bed. She was too weak to reach out for his hand, so Barry held hers where they lay. Nora gave her son a weak but noticeable smile. She looked so different now, the sickness having turned her body into a cracking shell. But, in her smile and in her eyes, Barry found the strong woman who’s raised him. He saw her spirit and warmth that the rest of her could no longer convey.

When his mother said, “Oh, my beautiful boy.” Barry wept. She’d been calling him that since before he could remember.

“I love you so much, mom.”

“When I was told you’d been hurt, I was terrified I’d never get to say goodbye to you. Worse so, that you wouldn’t have a chance to live the life I have always wanted for you. How cruel fate would be to take you, young and healthy, from the world before me, the woman living on borrowed time.”

Barry clutched his mother’s hand tighter. “I have a second chance.”

“You do.” Nora agreed. “I am told you have not taken it for granted, but done what you have been longing to.”

The change in his mother’s tone confused Barry for a moment, till it occurred to him what she was talking about. He let out a sound that was simultaneously a cry and a laugh.

“Iris.” Barry told his mother. “That’s her name. I found her.”

“I am so happy for you.”

Barry had come back to the Palace eager to tell his mother about Iris, but he didn’t picture it like this. Tears clouded Barry’s vision. His face was a wet, red mess. Like a child, Barry hid his face against his mother’s shoulder.

His mother used the little strength she had to comfort him. Her thumb stroked the back of his hand.

“I love you, Barry.” She whispered. “I know I have told you that everyday of your life, but I don’t believe you will truly know how much I love you until one day, when you have a child of your own.”

Barry heaved with tears. He wanted to be a father. He wanted his children to know their grandmother. For her to be there to give them the love she had him.

“You have such a good heart, Barry. I know that you have such love to give and you deserve to be loved just as deeply in return. As long as I know you have love, I can leave this life without regret.”

Barry looked up at his mother. Their teary eyes met.

“I do have love.” He promised her. “I’m alright, dad and I are both alright.” His words released a tension from Nora’s body. “We love you, mom.” He choked out through sobs. “I love you.”

Barry watched in agony as his mother’s breath shortened. He could feel her slipping away.

 

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Iris stood somberly in the hall. The ticking of a grandfather clock resounded in her head, making her feel each second as it passed. She felt out of place here without Barry beside her.

At one point, a physician hurried down the hall and went into the Queen’s bedchamber. Iris held her breath, knowing what that must mean. Not long after, the physician emerged looking mournful. The patriot in Iris felt the pang of loss of her Queen. The lover in Iris was heartbroken that Barry lost his mother. Worries if Barry would still want her around while he grieved his mother creeped into Iris’ mind. If he needed time, she was happy to give it to him. She’d waited this long.

Iris didn’t have to wait any longer, for the door to the Queen’s bedchamber opened and came out. Though his was face red and puffy, the Prince put up the facade of composure. He approached Iris and she was unsure how to console him. She thought about how terrible the loss of her own mother was and considered what she’d want.

Iris opened her arms wide and Barry immediately collapsed into her embrace.

 

♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥　♡　♥

 

The night was not quiet, but filled with sounds of life; frogs croaking, owls hooting, and the water trickling into the fountain. Nevertheless, Barry’s world felt unnaturally quiet. He sat at the fountain’s edge, staring off into space.

Iris made her way over to the solom Prince. She’d guessed he’d be here. Despite only navigating the Palace garden once before, Iris found her way easily.

Barry didn’t hear the rustle of the grass beneath her feet, but was alerted to her presence when he caught her sweet scent. Iris had sat down beside him. He thought about apologizing to her, for bringing her here only to for him to be distracted by tragedy. But, a glance into Iris’ caring eyes told Barry that he needn’t worry about that, for she was glad to be with him no matter the circumstance.

With a sigh, Barry revealed to her the feelings that seemed to numb and pierce him simultaneously. “I can’t stop thinking about my mom. Being in the garden, her favorite place, it should make me feel closer to her. But, it doesn’t. It only makes me miss her more.”

“I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you.” Iris said.

“I should be happy, I just found you. Why does it feel like I lost?”

“You lost your mother, Barry. That is a hole nothing will ever fill.”

Iris knew her honesty was brutal, but she thought it important. She knew what it was like to not have a mother around. It was a pain she never quite got over. She’d given up on that and learned to accept the feeling. It helped her better appreciate the relationships she did have.

“Perhaps,” Iris offered her hand to Barry, who took it in his. “You and I being together, can give you something.”

Barry bowed his head. “I have no doubt, being with you would give me all I’ve ever wanted.”

Iris smiled, but was discouraged when she saw the look of trepidation on his face. He scratched his neck nervously.

“What is it, Barry?” She asked.

Barry turned to look at Iris, truly look at her. She felt as if he was looking through her body and into her soul. He cupped her face with his hands.

“Iris, I am the Crown Prince, born into lavish wealth and privilege. I can not only give you my love and loyalty, the world’s finest jewels, priceless art, anything you could ever want. Except, freedom from duty.” Barry once again teared up. “I am bound by my duty to this Kingdom. The weight of it falls on my shoulders. You are not like me, you have a choice. You don’t have protect the Kingdom, you may live only for yourself.”

Iris bit her lip. “Live for myself, but do so without you?”

“I wish I could give you my whole self, but I am not mine to give anyway.”

Barry stuck his shaking hand into his pocket and pulled out a stunning diamond ring. Three perfect, princess cut stones atop a silver band. Iris clapped her hands over her mouth in awe.

“Barry!” She gasped.

“My mother’s last request was that I take her ring and give it to the person I love. I love you, Iris. There is nothing I want more than to marry you, but I cannot in good faith ask you for your hand without warning you of the enormity of what I am asking.”

Barry’s tears glistened on his cheeks. Iris wanted to wipe them away, to wipe his sadness away. She wrapped her arms around him, because it was the only thing she could think to do that would comfort them both. Barry calmed as he felt Iris’ steady breathing.

“What do you think I should do?” Barry whispered, eager yet afraid of her answer. “I need you to tell me.”

Iris moved her head so she could see Barry’s face. Her mind was racing, though her heart was set, allowing her to speak confidently. “I think that for once in your life, Barry Allen, you should stop thinking about other people. I think you should do what’s in your heart. Do what you need to do for yourself.”

Her gentle words made Barry sure of his decision. He could ask without feeling selfish. Iris’ heart fluttered as Barry knelt down on one knee.

“Iris West, will you marry me?”

“Yes.”


	17. Epilouge

The following spring was the nicest anyone in the Kingdom could remember. The sun shone brightly in a sky dotted with white, cotton ball clouds. Flowers, perfectly in bloom, lined the streets in decoration for the Prince’s wedding. Their sweet perfume gave the crowd of happy people a sense that love was literally in the air.

Church bells rang, but were soon drowned out by the people’s thunderous applause at the sight of the bride and groom exiting the church. Prince Barry and Princess Iris rode in a carriage procession, waving to their people. Children wore toy tiaras and sat atop their parents’ shoulders to get a view of the couple. Adults chatted optimistically about the new era for the Kingdom. 

The atmosphere inside the Palace ballroom, where the Prince and Princess arrived for their reception, was equally enthusiastic. A shower of flower petals rained over them as they made their grand entrance. King Henry and Joe West wiped tears from their eyes, Wally and Jesse jumped as they cheered, H.R. forgot he was holding a drink, causing a champagne flute to shatter when he clapped his hands, even Duke Wells was smiling brightly. Prince Barry whisked Iris off to the dance floor.

“I’m so glad I set them up.” Cecile mused as she watched the newlyweds share their first dance as husband and wife.

Joe laughed. “How have you reasoned that you set them up?”

“It was my carriage that got her to the ball.”

Joe laughed again.

Cecile put her hands on her hips. “You snigger all you want, Joe West. It’s not my fault fate chose me to bring Iris and Barry together.”

“I’m happy to trade a minute of tear for a minute of humor.”

“Iris getting married is making you really emotion, is it?”

Joe gazed at his daughter with soft eyes. The person he would forever see as his little baby was now a grown woman. He looked beyond the dancing couple and saw Wally on the other side of the room, looking more like a man each day. He’d move closer to Lady McGee’s laboratory, where he’d recently been given his own workshop. Just as Joe was growing accustomed to that change, this day arrived.

“My children are no longer children.” Joe sighed. “Amongst my pride, is an abundance of nostalgia.” 

“I understand. I was the same way when my daughter moved out.”

Joe swirled his drink. “Look at us, two empty nesters.”

“A house can get lonely when you’re all by yourself.”

“I’m sure I’ll be quite lonely.”

Cecile looked up at Joe with a twinkle in her eye. She whispered, “Perhaps, you don’t have to be.”

The music stopped playing, the first song was over. Joe stood, looking at Cecile in relative silence for a moment as he tried to comprehend what Cecile was implying. When it struck him, he giggled. “Cecile, are you suggesting..?”

“We’ve made such good partners in getting bad guys off the streets.”

Joe nodded. “We have.”

The orchestra began another song. More couples joined the dance floor.

Cecile bit her lip. She put her drink down on a table and took Joe’s hand. “I think we might make good dance partners as well.”

“Then, may I have this dance.”

“This one, and the next one.”

Jesse and Wally were already spinning around the room. 

“Nonsense!” Jesse said. She and Wally were deep in conversation over Wally’s latest blueprint. “The thermal combustion chamber would never work. You’d need more gasoline and where will you get it from? Have you struck oil?”

Wally grinned. “I struck gold with you.”

Jesse’s eye roll at her boyfriend’s flattery did not distract him from the rose tint of her cheeks. 

She brought the subject back to Wally’s design. “How fast do you propose this machine will be capable of going?”

“At least three times that of a horse.”

“I know it’s the faster the better with you.”

“You say that as if the same is not true for you.” Wally laughed. “Once my design is fully functional, I’ll race you.”

“Oh, you’re on!”

In the center of the ballroom, the happiest couple of all, the newlywed Prince and Princess danced. Barry took advantage of the steps that position him to whisper sweet nothings in his wife’s ear. Iris smiled, full of a warmth and glow that put the candles, flickering above them in chandeliers, to shame.

From overhead, Prince Barry and Princess Iris looked like twirling figures in a music box. Two people, watching them from the balcony of the grand staircase, exchanged satisfied glances.

“I’m so glad we set them up.” Cisco said.

“Did we?” Asked Caitlin. “Or was it destiny?”

“Either way, we end up doing the work for destiny a lot of the time.”

Caitlin tilted her head from side to side in consideration. “True.”

“You don’t think this Earth has a Big-”

Cisco was cut off when Caitlin tackled him to the floor, knocking the wind out of him.

Iris squinted. She could have sworn she saw them. But, with one quick turn during the dance, and the balcony was empty.

“What are you looking at, Iris?” Barry asked.

“Nothing. Just, remembering the night we met.”

Barry beamed. “A night topped only by this one.”

The orchestra slowed to a soft, gentle melody. Barry pulled Iris in closer and pressed his forehead to hers.

“I love you.” Iris breathed.

“I love you.”

And, they lived happily ever after.


End file.
